His Daughter
by Leta McGotor
Summary: With the death of his only love in his life Albus Dumbledore must face a new situation: His own child. Will he learn who it is and will the child accept him as the father?
1. The Time before The Past

His Daughter

Author: Leta McGotor

Disclaimer: I owe nothing but some characters like Victoria McDrake, her fiance, her family, Theodore Menckle and Professor Nostradamus Crehl. The other belongs to JKR.

Chapter 1: The Time before The Past

"You can't go, Victoria! Don't do this to me!" Albus Dumbledore pleaded. He stood at the edge of a forest in the middle of nowhere in the Scottish Highlands. It was dark around him and the woman by his side. She shook her head sadly and pulled the blanquet lying on her shoulders more tightly around her.

"I can't. You know I'm engaged to him. Next week is my wedding. We have to stop, Albus. Really. He would kill you if he knew. It's hard enough for me, for you, for us… I know that… but there is no other way. I'm soory." Victoria McDrake looked to the ground, tears in her eyes.

She had loved this man, Albus Dumbledore, since the first time their ways had crossed. He also loved her and for them it was the happiest time of their life being together. Nearly one year ago he had asked her to marry him. It was like a dream, a wonderful dream until it turned into a nightmare. Her oldest brother, the head of her whole family, decided against a marriage between his one and only sister and Albus Dumbledore. His reasons were plain for him and all who thought the same but for the couple it was as if the world would come to an end. There had been a treaty between the McDrake's and another family that Victoria had to marry the youngest son.

Although Victoria was engaged to him she and Albus continued their relationship. Secret meetings, a few wonderful hours – the magic of love. But it shouldn't be. Her brother noticed that she hadn't broken their relationship down and was very angry. He forbade her to meet Albus Dumbledore again. Their meetings became fewer and fewer because it wasn't easy to meet with so many watchful eyes.

Now it was only one week until her wedding and Victoria had made a very difficult decision: She never would meet the love of her life again. There was a fear inside of her that her future husband would kill the man holding her heart. It was better the two man would never cross their ways.

"Albus, you know I love you but… I can't. We have to stop it, our meetings, our whole relationship… everything. Please, don't make it more difficult that it already is."

"But Victoria, I'll speak with him. He'll give you free, I swear. He doesn't love you. Please Victoria, don't leave me."

"I have to, Albus, I have to. There is no other way, you know. You have to understand that, please understand" The tears poured now freely down her face and her whole body was shaking with sobs. Albus pulled her in his arms to comfort her but that made the whole situation even worse. Victoria started cryind and it seemed that nothing in the world could stop her. Therefore she only stood there held by him and cried her heart and her soul out of her. Silent tears were in the eyes of Albus Dumbledore. Never had he thought that this day would come so fast. Never had he thought that it could be so difficult to let go. Never had he thought that he had to let go of his one and only true love of his life. He felt his heart cracked, felt more nd more rips until it started to break completely.

Suddenly there was a noise behind them and a man came out of his hiding behind the trees. He was as tall as Albus himself, had black hair and looking straight in his face you were able to see his dark blue eyes. Victria shrieked and retreated at the sight of her fiance. The man looked all but friendly. His face was distorted because of his rage. His hands were fists when he went to the couple standing in a small bit of moonlight.

Albus pushed Victoria behind his back to protect her. The man was standing directly in front of Albus now heavily panting because of his rage.

"You bastard! She is mine, only mine! How dare you, you uneducated…"

"Calm down, please. I… we… I mean… please." Victria pleaded coming from behind Albus' back.

"We can all discuss, Mr… sir. Really. Let me explain" Albus began pushing Victria behind his back again.

"I don't want a bloody discussion! Leave her alone! Give her to me! She is mine, only mine! Come in the near of my property and I swear I'll kill you! That is a promise! Victoria come." The man spat and yelled and screamed all in one.

"Victoria…" Albus turned to his love. "Please…" But she only shook her head avoiding to look him in the face, went past him and vanished with the angry man into the dark nothing leavind Albus alone behind. She never should see him straight in the face again.

* * *

17 years later

"You cheated"

"I think it is more the typical ability of you than us."

"We should have won the Qudditch Cup, not you again."

"We have the better team:"

"Better team? Only because my two Beaters and one of my Chasers are…"

"Completely untalented? Our Chasers are great. Have you seen the first, third, seventh goal of Xiomara Hooch? They were fantastic! And the two Beaters Theodore Menckle and Minerva McGonagall, never seen the two playing so well, don't you think so? And then…"

"Albus. It's ok. I know, I know. You and your _perfect _team but next year you'll lose. That's a promise." Said Professor Crehl with a threatening voice. But Albus Dumbledore, Head of Gryffindor House, only laughed. He loved the discussion with his best friend and colleague Professor Nostradamus Crehl, Head of Slytherin House.

"And besides that all. We don't have the Cup, yet. There are all the other games left, it was only the first one."

"You have beaten us, Slytherin. Shall I really translate? You don't want to say that Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff have a real chance towin the Cup, do you? That is completely impossible."

"Maybe"

The owls came with the packages and letters. They flow through the Great Hall and looked for their owners. One owl landed directly in the middle between Albus Dumbledore and Nostradamus Crehl with the Daily Prophet. Both professors looked at the newspaper and suddenly as if someone had given a silent sign they both reached for it. Seconds laterthey both held one part of the newspaper in their hands and started reading.

"Nothing in my part and yours? Let me guess. The trees grow faster this year, right?"

"Something like that, yes" Albus answered his eyes on the eagle flying through the hall and looking for the person it should deliver the letter to. Albus stared disbelievingly at the eagle as it landed directly in front of him, let the letter fall and vanished out of one of the windows.

Albus took the black letter. That meant nothing good, he knew. Carefully he opened it. It was from no other than Duncan McDrake, Victoria's brother. Albus swallowed.

Albus Dumbledore,

With this letter I deliver you the message of the death of my beloved sister Victoria. I know the relationship you once had and ask you now to come to her funeral on Friday afternoon, 16:30, at our family home. I also ask you to come one hour earlier because there are some very important circumstances we have to discuss.

Yours sincerely

Duncan McDrake

* * *

Please tell me what do you think about it. Only click on the small button left. It isn't that difficult. Thank you for reading. 


	2. Unexpected News

His Daughter

Author: Leta McGotor

Disclaimer: I owe nothing but some characters like Victoria McDrake, her family, Richard McGonagall and Professor Nostradamus Crehl. The other belongs to JKR.

Chapter 2 Unexpected News

Albus Dumbledore sat in his office and stared absent-mindedly out of the window. Outside the sun was shining brightly, the last warm sunbeams in autumn. On the Quidditch pitch trained a team and most of the students were sitting at the lake or under trees and made their homework or just enjoyed the last warm days of the year. Usually Albus enjoyed to watch the students but today it was hard to him to look at them.

This morning he had got the letter of Duncan McDrake telling him of the death of Victoria. He was so shocked that he had forgotten to go to his first class. At lunch he couldn't eat, later he wasn't able to see through the Transfiguration homework and now he couldn't even concentrade on just looking out of the window. Every time he saw her standing in front of him with her long black hair, her green eyes and with her famous smile. Yes, he had loved her.

But now he would never see her again, never speak with her again, never tell her again that he loved her. No, she was gone. He sighed and looked again at the letter of her brother. _'…ask you to come one hour earlier because there are some very important circumstances we have to discuss.'_ What was there they had to discuss? Albus couldn't think on one thing he had to speak about with Duncan McDrake. He never had liked him very much and that was based on reciprocity. A knock at the door took him back from his thoughts.

"Come in." To his surprise one of his sixth years came into his office. She was prefect and head of the Gryffindor Qudditch team. Her name was Minerva McGonagall.

"Ah, Miss McGonagall, how can I help you? Please take a seat."

"Professor Dumbledore, I have a problem. My father has forgotten to ask you for permission that I'm allowed to go home this weekend. There is a big family celebration and it is tradition for all of us to be there. This morning I got the letter, where he told me, that he had forgotten to ask. Now I'm here to ask for permission." She said staring at him without sitting down. No emotion was to be seen in her face. She only stood there as if she was a statue.

"There are many of those celebration this month I see. You are not the first one who asks. Of course you can go and…"

"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore." She interrupted him, turned on her heels and left his office. Albus looked surprised at the door. Shortly afterwards there was a second knock at the door and Professor Crehl came into the office.

"What have you done with Miss McGonagall? She nearly bumped into me and without an excuse she run down the corridor. What happened to your star student? Has she forgotten to make her homework?"

"Don't joke. She… I don't know. She came here to ask me if she can go home over the weekend. You know all this family celebrations now. And then,…yes. She turned around and stormed out of my office."

"You know I don't like her, the school-brain. She was a bit strange when she came to Hogwarts but now it is worse than then. Okay with that father it is no surprise. Richard McGonagall isn't what you call a loving father and husband. You don't want to know what he does when he is at home. But now… I wonder about you. First you missed your class, then you didn't eat and now I find you in your office staring at the door. Are you sure you feel well?"

"Yes, of course… it's …it's… you know."

"Do you know why she died?"

"No."

"Whos was her husband? Maybe you could ask…"

"I don't know."

"Where did she live?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know much about her, do you? And her brother didn't tell you what he wants to discuss with you?"

"No"

"Strange family."

* * *

Wednesday went, Thursday came and went, too and then it was Friday. More than a dozen students had left for the weekend in the morning and most of the others had the the afternoon off. Albus couldn't concentrade the whole day. It was difficult for him to remember what he should teach or how to hold a fork. Professor Crehl asked him more than two dozen times if he felt all right and recommended to go to the hospital wing.

Lunch came and went and Albus felt even worse after it. At 15:00 he arrived at the residenze of Duncan McDrake. He knew he was half an hour early but he knew Duncan was prepared. A young woman led him to the private library of the head of the McDrake family. The private library was only for Duncan McDrake alone. No one was allowed to go into that room without his permission and he never gave his permission even to his wife.

When Albus arrived there he found a small room. Maybe this room was a big one but with all the shelves at the walls and with all the books in them and lying on the table and on the floor it was difficult to move in it. Albus looked around and then he saw the man sitting in an old armchair waiting for him. Duncan McDrake was a small man. He had black hair, which more and more vanished from his head and a healthy colour of his skin. His eyes were green, a family feature. Although the man wasn't tall he could scary people to death with only one of his expressions. He could get very loud in a conversation but always knew what to say. He was a very intelligent man.

"Albus Dumbledore" He said and Albus felt as if the eyes of the man would examine him from top to toe.

"Mr McDrake" Duncan McDrake said nothing only stared at the man standing in front of him. There was an uncomfortable silence in the room. Then after a nerly endless time he nodded and offered the armchair opposite from him to Albus.

"Everyone can make a mistake but it is only a real mistake when you don't see that it is one. I have seen that I made a mistake. I have seen that it was one but to late. I never thought that it could be wrong. Do you understand?"

"I think I can't follow you."

"Victoria." He said without a further word of explanation. But before Albus could say a word he continued.

"Do you know that she was ill?"

"Ill? You mean she had died because of an illness?"

"Stop interrupting me and don't ask, I'll tell you. Victoria had a very weak health, I believe you know that. She never should have brought children to this world. After each birth she became weaker and weaker and the children, too. They all died shortly after the birth, some arrived their first birthday, none the second." He paused and looked at Albus. Albus had stopped breathing. He never knew that Victoria had children. If he had known, he would have helped her. He knew that she was far to weak to give birth to a child. He swallowed.

"She died in childbirth, Albus. The child was long dead before that. But now to that, what I want to discuss with you. I know you didn't stand in contact and therefore I'm sure you don't know. Her first child is alive. Her daughter is now 16 years old and was the pride of her mother. But her father hated her and made her life nearly unbearable. But the girl stand it because of her mother. Do you know why he hated this girl that much? I'll tell you. All of his children died and she was still alive but the girl was not his daughter, Albus. She is yours."

Albus gaped at the man sitting in front of him. Had he really said that he had a daughter? Had he really said that? Albus couldn't believe his senses, he simly couldn't. Duncan McDrake continued.

"He hated her more and more with each death of his children. She had to work very hard at home and I believe he beat her, but I'm not sure. I only wanted to inform you. I guess I'll see you later. Good-bye" He stood to leave but Albus stopped him.

"What do you mean you wanted to inform me? What is her name, where is she, how is she and…"

"Albus, no one meant that you should take care of her. She is going to stay with him and me."

"No, I don't let my daughter in the hands of a man who hates her and probably beats her. She is my daughter and she'll be with me."

"No, Albus. In her hollydays she will stay with me. You see her nearly the whole year in school."

"You mean I know her and never knew that she is my daughter? I have seen her five and a half year without knowing? What is her name?"

"I'm not going to tell you. Let her. It's not worth to penetrade in her life now. And I don't want that you speak with her. She won't answer you. I see you later." With that words he left the room without one look back. Albus sat in the chair and thought. He never knew that he had a daughter, never knew that… and now he knew that he had a child but that he is not allowed to knew her name or even to speak with her.

He stared at the wall opposite from him, the only place, where were no books but a huge painting of the three McDrake's: Duncan, his younger brother Dougle and in the middle the youngest of them Victoria. A tear fell down and a second followed. He had missed her so much in the past years and now…

Suddenly Albus Dumbledore jumped to his feet. He never would let his daughter here. He would take her with him. He owed this to Victoria and to his daughter. And with that idea he left the library.

* * *

Please tell me what do you think about it. Only click on the small button left. It isn't that difficult. Thank you for reading. And a really big thank-you to **DamesFan, Amanda, Saint Potter and Always Hopeful** for reviewing. 


	3. Conversation?

His Daughter

Author: Leta McGotor

Disclaimer: I own nothing but some characters like Victoria McDrake, her husband and her family. The other belongs to JKR.

**Kidarock, EM, Joelpup62, PrincessSkywalkerOrgana: **Thank you for your review. I always like (or love?) it when people read my stories and say what they think about it.

**Always Hopeful:** Thank you for telling me that with the word conjugation. English isn't my mother tongue and I hope that I can improve my language. Therefore thank you for telling me and for reviewing and reading my story.

**DamesFan: **I hope your expectations are not that high that I can't reach them. But I hope I have fulfilled them. Thank you for reading and reviewing.

**SherbetKitty**: Yes, I know I can be cruel. Others have guessed and maybe they aren't that wrong. Thank you for reading (and reviewing). I always enjoy reading my reviews.

All of you are great!

* * *

Chapter 3 Trying 

It was quiet in the little chapel when Albus entered. He looked around. Nobody was to be seen but the figure of Duncan McDrake standing besinde the dark coffin. Albus sighed. Never had he felt it that difficult to do a few steps but now here was the feeling that he wasn't able to go and stand there like Duncan did. He sighed again and looked around. He had expected many people wishing there last farewell to Victoria but the benches in front of him were empty as all the ways in the chapel. That made Albus sad.

Victoria was always a human who enjoyed the life. She saw the light although all around them was dark. She had always a smile on her face and one special one reserved for him. She had encouraged him when he had thought that there was nothing to be brave and happy for. She was always there, beside him, when he needed her. She had hated it when a room was so quiet, she said that it was depressing. Albus sighed again. Yes, Victoria would have hated the silence in this chapel.

Slowly Albus made his way to the coffin. It was difficult for him. Every step seemed to be as if he had weights at his shoes. After what seemd an eternity he arrived at the dark coffin with the red velvet and with… her. Albus swallowed. He hadn't seen her for 17 years but he remembered her always as a very beautiful and healthy looking woman. But now he was greeted by a very thin figure. She looked three times as old as she was. In her black hair were uncountable strands of grey or even white. White, too, was the colour of her skin. Albus remembered how she had loved it to be outside and that she always had a suntanned colour. But now she looked as if she hadn't seen daylight for… yes, 17 years? In her sleep she always smiled and it seemed for Albus that there was lying an angel beside him. But now she wore a sad expression, sad and exhausted.

"Yes, she has changed since the last time you have seen her." The voice of Duncan McDrake took him back from his thoughts.

"Yes." Was all Albus could say.

"She has never forgotten you. She used to write her thoughts about you in a little diary. That were so many thoughts that she had filled several books with them. When she had finished one she always burned it and let the wind took the ash with it."

"Why… why did she never told me of our daughter? Why did she never told me of her health and all? She always could trust me. Why did she never say a word, never wrote only one line to me?"

"Fear."

Before Albus could say even one word he and Duncn McDrake heard a scream behind them. Both turned around. At the far end of the chapel were two black figures fighting with each other. One of them was a tall man with black hair and a grumy expression. He was shaking the other person, probably a young woman because of her black dress and the hat with the black veil. The woman tried to defend herself but it seemed that her attempts were in vain. The man was too strong for her.

"Let her go, Richard. Let her alone." The man looked up and Albus recognized Victoria's husband. Without a word he turned around and stormed out of the chapel not without pushing the other one so hard that she lost balance and fell to the floor.

"Are you alright?" Duncan McDrake asked but the girl only nodded shortly before turning around as well and running out of the room.

"You see" Duncan continued as if nothing had happened. "It's the best the girl stays with me. You don't know her like we do and you would not be able to handle her. Besides sometimes she is a bit strange. You would thing that she lives from her books. There are days when she refuses to eat." He shook his head. "It's the best she stays here."

* * *

The burial was very quiet. Albus looked sad at the coffin when it vanished into it's last place for rest. Accompanied by a tragic piece of piano, flutes and violins all people followed the ceremony with their gaze. Shortly in front of the family vault the men carrying the coffin stopped. Out of the mass of people a girl stepped to it with one single red rose in her hands. She put it atop of her mother's coffin and whispered a few words no one but herself could hear. Then she bowed and stepped back vanishing again between the people. 

Albus watched her. 'She looks so sad, alone and defenceless as if the world around her was unfamiliar, strange and full of enemies she isn't able to distinguish from her friends.' Albus thought as she vanished from his view.

After the burial many stayed for dinner but Albus hadn't the feeling that he could eat something. Since the end of the funeral he had looked for the girl with the black dress and hat but she was nowhere to be seen. He dicided to go outside for a bit fresh air. Around the manor was a big forest and many hills. Here and there were a few cliffs, where you have to be very careful. Albus knew where he had to go to see the sunset. Often had he watched it together with Victoria. They always loved these hours.

Quiet and careful he made his way to the forest. When he arrived at the end of the forest at this very cliff he saw the familiar tree, which lay on the ground ready to be used as a bench. To Albus' surprise the tree was occupied. Slowly he stepped nearer and noticed the black figure of Victoria's – no, her and his, their – daughter.

She looked up and stared at him, still with the veil in front of her face. Albus looked back at her trying to notice all what was familiar to him.

"Hello." He started not knowing what he should say. He didn't want to speak about Victoria or the funeral or something like that. The girl only nodded as an answer.

"What are you reading there?" Albus looked at the book lying in her lap. The girl held the book to him that he was able to read the title.

"'Agatha Christie – The Cat among the Pigeons' I remember reading it by myself. It's about some murders in a school, right?" She nodded again

"Do you like reading such novels?" She nodded again. He sighed and looked to the sunset.

"Do you know who I am?" He asked after quite a while. She nodded again. "I don't mean me as your teacher but as your father." Again she nodded. "How long do you know?" The girl held up ten fingers.

"What? Weeks? No? Month? No? Years? That's a long time. I learned about you only a few hours ago. Do you want to stay with your uncle?" The girl frantically shook her head.

"Do you want to stay with me?" The girl looked at him before she shrugged then slowly she shook her head again and stood. She stepped to him and only stopped a few inches away. She gave him the book, turned around and made her way back to the forest. Albus watched her until she had vanished, then he looked at the book and opened it. There he found a little piece of paper:

_I don't need someone. I can live on my own. I need neither Duncan and Richard nor you. It's my life and my decision. Let me alone._

_

* * *

_

Please tell me what do you think about it. Only click on the small button left. It isn't that difficult. Thank you for reading.


	4. Revealing

His Daughter

Author: Leta McGotor

Disclaimer: I own nothing but some characters like Nostradamus Crehl and the McDrake family including Richard McGonagall. The other belongs to JKR.

**SherbetKitty**: She didn't talk because she didn't want to reveal herself. You will see that she has some plans, which are not that …nice? Thank you for your review. I love it to read them, really.

**EM, postgrl, Lady Gallatea Ravenclaw**: Thank you for your reviews and that you have tried to guess. You will see that you are not wrong.

**SweetBlood**: I hope you have received my mail. You only needed to wait until this chapter to be sure, who is his daughter. But really thank you for reviewing.

**DamesFan**: Sometimes I wonder if my language is really that bad. I hope it is not too confusing with all my mistakes. Hope you like it, nevertheless. And thank you for your review.

All of you are great!

Chapter 4 Revealing…

Two month had passed since the burial of Victoria McDrake and Albus Dumbledore had not only one minute he didn't thought about his daughter. In fact at the beginning of every class he watched every student of his sixth years. He had a list with the names of all girls in the apropiate age and every now and then he crossed a name because he knew her parents or knew that it was impossible that this girl could be his daughter.

Now he and the rest of the school was standing shortly before the Christmas holidays and Albus was standing at the window and looked out. He watched as Professor Crehl gave detention to a few third years because they threw a few snow balls at him. Albus smiled. Nostradamus hated snow above all other. Nothing could convince him that he would enjoy a trip around the grounds while it was winter.

Then Albus looked to the Qudditch Pitch. One lonely broom was in the air and he wondered who would train when all had to do with packing their trunks or enjoying the last day of school this year. Therefore Albus took his cloak and made his way to the Pitch.

Cold wind met him at the entrance and he felt the snow in his shoes while he was on his way. Arriving on the Pitch he was disappointed that the one, who had flewn, had chosen to stop and was not in the air anymore. He sighed. _I become old, I'm really too slow_. He thought turning around and attempting to make his way back to the warmth of the castle. With his thoughts on his daughter and wondering whether she would stay at the school or go home he bumped into something solid and knocked it to the ground. When he looked his gaze fell on one of his students, to be exact, on Minerva McGonagall, armed with a bag full of books, he recognised not as textbooks. He helped her up.

"Are you all right, Miss McGonagall?"

"Yes, I believe so." She answered collecting the books from the ground, most of them with a black cover.

"Do you had the feeling of need of fresh air?", he asked.

"No, not really. I have trained a bit for the next Quidditch match. I know all say we would win the Cup while sleeping but Ravenclaw has some really good players this year and I don't think it is good to stop with the training before we have the Cup in our hands."

"Yes, of course. I wondered if there would be someone who sees that, too. Ravenclaw is all but easy to beat. The match between them and Slytherin was really pressed. They nearly won the match. I have seen you on your broom from my office and I wondered. Are you ready with packing your trunk?"

"Yes.", she said staring at the ground. Then suddenly she looked up to the castle and to the window of his office. "I wanted to feel the cold air around me again, wanted to clear my mind. You like watching people from your window, right?"

"Yes, but I'm not the only one standing most time of the day at the window and looking out. I have seen a girl, a six year, I believe, sitting every night on the windowsill and staring out at the night. Do you know that girl?", he said and a smile played around his lips.

"I wanted to clear my mind and sitting on a windowsill always helps me."

"You often want to clear your mind, nearly every night and now again. What's on your mind, Miss McGonagall? Maybe I can help." Minerva hesitated. He was the last of all people she wanted to share her thoughts with, not in the moment. Besides that, this thoughts she wanted to share with nobody. Therefore she only sighed and shook her head.

"No, Professor Dumbledore. Nobody with the exception of myself can help me in this case. I need no help with it, because I have planned it for two months or longer. Thank you for your offer. Good bye and a happy Christmas feast." She smiled before turning around and running up the remaining way to the school. Albus stared at her back and wondered what it was, that she had planned for so long. But then he shrugged, Minerva was a girl, who knew, what she was doing. He sighed and his thoughts wandered back to his own problems and he asked himself whether his daughter also knew, what she did.

* * *

It was late this afternoon, only a short time until dinner. Albus Dumbledore sat in his office and looked through a pile of Transfiguration homework. He wanted to finish them before the start of holidays but looking at the other piles, he knew, that it was simply impossible. Tomorrow the students would go home for Christmas and only a few, not more than a hand full stayed. Albus was so deepened in his pile of parchment, that he didn' hear the first knock on his door. The second one was louder and Albus looked up in surprise. Who wanted to see him? He hurried to his door and opened it but no one was to be seen. He looked around the corner and saw that someone was going along the deserted corridor.

"Can I help you?" Albus asked not knowing who that student was. When she turned around to face him he noticed Minerva McGonagall with a heavy black book in her hands and a determined expression on her face. She came to him.

"Professor, I… I thought you… you weren't here" She began.

"Then you would not have knocked, would you?", he asked looking about the brim of his glasses. He could really feel that she was uncomfortable. "Do you want to come in?" She nodded and followed her professor inside his office. She looked surprised at the piles of homework on his desk and at some of them lying on the floor. She thought that it really was a chaos and that he should organize his things better that that.

Minerva stayed at the closed door while Albus made his way to the chair behind his desk and showed her to sit down as well, but Minerva stayed standing at the door, still looking at the parchment.

"What can I do for you, Miss McGonagall?" A long time she said nothing but stared out of the window at the dark sky. Then she sighed and looked at him.

"You said you would help me with the things I have on my mind."

"If I'm able to, of course." He answered waiting for her to continue. Minerva hesitated, she didn't know how to start.

"I want to know what a punishmet I get if I would murder someome because I have all reasons to do it. Am I allowed to study in Azkaban? To read books?" All what Albus had hoped he would hear, that was all he couldn't think of. He was really speechless.

"What… How… I mean… You want to murder someone?" He asked confused.

"Yes. He deserves nothing better than that." Her voice was full of hate.

" Minerva," Albus begann, rising to his feet. But in the next second a beam of light hit him and he fell back on his chair while ropes tied him up to it. Horrified he looked to his student standing in front of him with her wand in the one and the black book in the other hand. One tear made it's way down her cheek and her lips were only a thin line.

"I'm going to kill him and you won't stop me, Professor Dumbledore, or should I say: father?" She said, her whole body shaking as well as her voice while she pointed with the tip of her wand directly at his heart.


	5. The Truth

His Daughter

Author: Leta McGotor

Disclaimer: I own nothing but some characters like Nostradamus Crehl and the McDrake family including Richard McGonagall. The other belongs to JKR.

A/N: I was overwhelmed by the amount of the reviews. I never expected that so many would read this story.

**Weasly155, InsanityIsFun121, Sakura-jr17, Wrinkles the Troll, p0l, hermione256, bookfreak64, EM: **It is great that you like it. Really thanks for your reviews, I really love it to read them. Therefore a really big thank you to you all.

**RebeccaOwen: **It's good that it is a bit unexpected, isn't it? You read some things of mine, right? Or you couldn't say something to my language. (smile) Thank you for your review.

**DamesFan:** I hope you are not too shocked to read on. The next chapters are not that shocking (I hope). Thanks for your review it is always encouraging. If I'm not mistaken, your are from Germany, too?

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Chapter 5 ...The Truth

„But Minerva", Albus stuttered. He had to do something, he knew that. His only problem was, that he didn't knew, what he should do. His mind was emty. "Minerva, please."

"I won't kill you, don't panick", she snapped at him the first tear following a second one. She was more and more shaking now. "But him and he didn't deserve something better. He can be happy that it will be fast." She said with so much hate in her voice, that every word, she said, was like a hard lash.

"Minerva,… please,… whatever you do,… calm down, think. Nobody deserves…"

"Oh yes, he does. He has killed my mother and made my life to a hell on earth! He deserves it!"

"Your mother… murdered? Who? Minerva, please…"

"Who? Who! The man, who called me his daughter, when other people were around and his slave when we were alone! It is his fault that mum has died! He forced her to habe children! He knew she wouldn't survive it, he knew it! He deserves nothing better! I hate him!", she screamed and more and more tears poured down her face, the book had slipped from her hand and landed on the floor.

"Minerva, he isn't worth it… please. Don't do it, don't… please…" Albus didn't know what to say and in his ears all what came from his mouth sounded rather silly than convincing.

"It is worth! He killed my mother, he knew it the whole time! He knew that I was not… not his! He said it every day, every morning, every evening, the whole time! He said I'm unworthy for life! He said my mother was a… a…whore and nothing better! I hate him!" The pain in her voice when she said, what he had told her was not to be ignored. She let sink her wand and wiped furiously her tears away. She didn't want to cry but the tears fell freely now.

"You don't need to go back, Minerva. I don't let it happen, that he will harm you."

"You can do nothing, nothing. I will kill him! He din't even allowed me to cry! I wasn't allowed to do anything without his orders and mum could do nothing to help me! She was too weak, but he forced her. He knew that she suffered but it didn't matter to him! He has no heart! I looked for help! Since I am able to think I have been looking for help, but nothing, nothing! Mum's brother only taught me reading and writing because it would be a disgrace, when a member of the McDrake's couldn't spell her own name! But he did nothing to help his own sister!" Albus listened. Every word she said, cried, screamed cut deeper and deeper in his heart. He had hoped that Victoria would be happy but now he had to see how wrong he was.

Minerva said nothing for a long time. She had gone to the window and looked out of it, the sight of the grounds seeming to calm her down. Albus remained silent as well. He felt that she needed this silence and besides that, he didn't know what he should say. If he should open his mouth, he knew, he would curse the man into the next century, he was sure, he would do that. But it wouldn't help Minerva, his daughter. Then after what seemed half an eternity Minerva faced him again. Rivers of tears were to be seen on her light pink cheeks and she looked so helpless that it broke the rest of Albus' heart and the first part all over again.

"Mum told me of you." Her voice was still shaking but not with rage anymore but with the pain she felt deep inside of her. "She always loved it to tell how she had loved you, how deep her love was to you. She told me of her hopes and her fears and that she felt always comfortable and safe in your arms. She dreamed about you. She described you to me very often and I always loved it to listen. Her dreams were my hopes, my comfort, my strenght." Minerva's voice became quieter with every word and then she turned around and stared out of the window again. Without turning to him again she continued.

"When I met you I often thought I should tell you. But my courage left me and so I never said a word. But I wanted to get to know you. I wrote letters to mum and told her about you. She was so happy to read them until… until he found out about the letters and burned them all. Mum never really recovered from that, the letters were her only hope. … Nobody can stop me from killing him, he deserves nothing better." She said with a quiet voice. Her whole body was still shaking out of the remaining of her rage and out of the sadness she felt deep inside her heart.

"Minerva, your mother wouldn't want it, that you throw your life away. So, please… he isn't worth it,"

"I know but… I can't go to him this Christmas and do nothing. I have planned it all along. There is no way back. Last year, when I did my O.W.L.'s I was often in the library and I asked whether I could stay longer if I would help there. Every evening I stayed and helped to tidy up until the librarian gave me the key for the library. This year I said I would help although there were no O.W.L.'s this year for me and with the key I was able to creep into the library at night without somebody noticing. I learned how to use one of theUnforgivable Curses." She told him still looking out of the window at the darkness. Nobody was outside anymore. They all had gone into the Great Hall for dinner and afterwards to their dormitories.

"Why do you think I wanted to become an animagus? I had three reasons. First: I'm intersted in the whole topic. You know that. I always dreamed of becoming an animagus since my first class, when I read for the first time about them. Second: It is very useful to kill him. In my catform it is easier to creep into his private rooms, I'm not allowed to enter. What a luck, that I have mamaged the transfiguration in the end of last year. Then I can curse him and he won't even notice that I was it and how I have done it. Third and… and most important… I had you near me…"

She answered her own question while she was shaked by several sobs. She was crying badly now. All her strenght seemed to be gone and it was hard for her to stand upright but then she couldn't stand it any longer. Her knees were weak and she sank to the ground.

"Minerva, it is allright, cry. You have all right to do it." Albus spoke to her. He couldn't move an inch and noted that her magic was really good. She would kill him, when she got the possebility for that, Albus knew that and that he had to prevent her from throwing her life away. After several minutes of silence, only disturbed by her sobs, she moved her wand and his ropes vanished and released him from his imprisionment. Minerva pulled herself to her feet and sat on the windowsill looking out at the darkness outside, looking at the moon and at the stars. She felt the tears in her eyes again and she couldn't stop them, didn't want to stop them. Minerva felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up into the blue eyes of Professor Dumbledore, no, of her father.

"Do you hate me?", she asked and Albus heard the fear in her voice. _Meant he really so much to her although he never cared about her in the away a real father does?_

"No", he said and pulled her into his arms, his hand stroking over her back, comforting her while Minerva cried into his shoulder. So he held her for a few hours until she fell asleep in his arms. They hadn't spoken a word to another but Albus was sure that Minerva needed someone, who would embrace her, who would give her love and then he noted that he needed this all as well.

Carefully he picked her up and carried her sleeping figure into his bedroom and layed her down onto his bed. He pulled the blankets around Minerva and stood up. He watched his daughter for quite a while until he bent down, kissed her on the forehead and left the room.


	6. Breakfast

His Daughter

Author: Leta McGotor

Disclaimer: I own nothing but some characters like Nostradamus Crehl and the McDrake family including Richard McGonagall. The other belongs to JKR.

**EM:** Have I updated fast enough for you? Thank you for your review and I hope you enjoy reading this one.

**SherbetKitty:** Yes, Richard McGonagall is not a man you want to cross and there will be a "nice conversation" between him and Albus later. Thanks for your review.

**Sakura-jr17:** Of course he does not hate her. She is all of which he had ever dreamed. She is the daughter of him and the woman he loved more than anythink around the world. For Minerva he would risk and give his own life. Anyway, a big thank-you for your review.

**Wrinkles the Troll:** Thank you for your review, really. I don't know wht others are thinking but I love to read the reviews I get.

**Dames Fan:** I hope you have received my mail. Thank you for your review. Am I going to read the next one in German?

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Chapter 6 Breakfast 

Albus sat silently in an old arm chair he had produced out of thin air. He loved it to sit in those chairs instead of uncomfortable, hard ones. Therfore he had one of his favourite chairs in each of his rooms. He had slept half the night in one of those chairs. The other half he had looked after Minerva, sleeping in his bed, or looked out of the window. Albus had noticed that Minerva was right, again, because looking out of the window really calmed down the nerves. And, in fact, Albus had to be calm for he had to think about the future, something he didn't like to do. But now he had no other choice.

Where Minerva should live in future was no question he needed to answer. Surely she would want to stay, but what will her uncle and her… yes – father? – will say if she really stays with him? Are they going to come and take her with them? Albus was sure, that if Minerva stays with him, she never would be allowed to go back. He didn't even want to think about what they would do with her if she dared to go home to them.

Now Albus was sitting in his bedroom, in one of his chairs, watching the the curled up figure of his daughter. She slept peacefully but Albus noticed that there was a stern expression and not a smile on her face. He, too, saw the dried traces of her tears she had cried several hours ago.m He wasn't sure how she would react when she woke up, but until then, he simply would watch and protect her.

It was a very early morning and Albus didn't expect her waking up for at least one or two hours. To his surprise Minerva began to stir and to open her eyes slowly. She jawned and sat up sleepily, still with the bankets around her. Then she turned to him and raised one of her eyebrows, one of her typical habits. She looked at him for one moment or two before comprehension dawned on her.

"Oh, Professor, I didn't… think… think that you… I would be still here. I… I'm sorry." She stuttered with wide eyes.

"It's ok, Minerva, but I don't want you to call me Professor, when we are in private, right?"

"Yes, right." She hesitated. "Profe… Dad, I should go before the others wake up and… and I have to pack my trunk because of the Christmas holidays, you know." She said looking to the ground.

"Minerva, you don't have to go to them. You can stay here… with me. Only if you want, of course" he added hastily. He didn't want to give her the feeling that he ordered her around.

"Really? I can stay?" Minerva asked with a voice and a look full of hope. She glanced at him as if checking whether there was a sign that he said the truth.

"Of course you can. Do you want?" Albus asked her. He was not sure if he really could believe what he hoped.

"I never go back to them, not now, where there is nothing I can hide from him. Mum always tried to protect me and was always there. But now… Can I really stay? Please, let me stay with you or I am really going to kill him."

"Do you really think I would watch that you go back to them? Do you really think I would let you go? Of course not. I had hoped that you would stay. I never let you go back to them and become a murderess, I promise." He pulled her into a hug and Minerva let it happen. She enjoyed it to be hugged. Her mother rarely had the strenght to do it and her – _he_ – never hugged her for she was not his daughter but his servant, and a servant didn't deserve to be hugged by the master.

"And I don't want to visit you in Azkaban, right? It's not a place you want to be. Besides that, are you hungry?" Albus asked after they had parted again. "What do you want? Ham and eggs, toast, salat, honey, marmelade, pancakes?"

"Pancakes for breakfast?"

"Of course" With a swing of his wand he let appear two dishes full of pancakes with syrup. "And to drink? Cocoa, milk, tea, cocoa, coffee, did I say cocoa? I think it is the best to start and end a day. So do you want cocoa?" Minerva tried to suppress a smile. The preference of the Transfiguration Professor for hot chocolate and cocoa was legendary.

"No, I would like to have tea, but wait. I have my special type." She swung her wand and the cup before her filled with a dark looking liquid.

"Witch type?" Albus asked curiously while sniffing at the tea.

"Do you want to guess? It's the same type Mum preferred."

"Yes, that's right. No other tea would smell like that. I always wondered where she bought this one. I haven't seen a shop where they sell it and I look for – I don't know – more than two centuries now."

"That's a secret."

"No, that's not fair." Minerva grinned, she had promised her mother never to tell anybody of the sweet little shop. Even the husband of her didn't know about it and Minerva was happy about that. He would be the last man who should be allowed to know of such a wonderful place for this tea.

Minerva ate her breakfast quietly and listened to her father while he told her about his adventures with her mother and this tea and that he really had looked everywhere for this shop for he wanted to give it to her for birthday.

After the breakfast Minerva hurried to her dormitory with her thoughts at the stories her father had told her. When Minerva had left his office Albus strode over to his desk and looked for parchment and a quill. Ten minutes later he finished the letter and gave it to an owl. He knew in the next days there would be some argument between him and Richard McGonagall and Duncan McDrake. But one thing Albus knew for sure: He would not give up Minerva, no matter how hard and unfair the others would fight.

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Okay, that was it for this time. Please tell me what do you think about this one. Only click on the small button left and tell me what is right and what I have to improve (including my language for this is not my mother tongue) Thank you for reading. 


	7. Learning Unwanted Things

His Daughter

Author: Leta McGotor

Disclaimer: I own nothing but some characters like Nostradamus Crehl and the McDrake family including Richard McGonagall. The other belongs to JKR.

I'm really sorry for the long gap between this and my last update, but I have good reasons: This is the first chapter I have ever let beta read **( a big thank-you goes to Artemis Sprape) **and secondly school started nearly three weeks ago and my homework eats me up. I don't know whether the teachers want to kill us or not, but it is awful. Therfore I believe the title of the chapter matches perfectly with the whole situation (Learning Unwanted Things).

**Bookfreak64** and **starlover88** thank you for reviewing. I know I repeat myself but I really love reading them.

**Sakura-jr17:** You have read something wrong. Both the McDrake family and the McGonagall family are purebloods, so it is not that easy. So you like pancakes? I thought that would be typical of Albus to offer her something like that for breakfast. Thank you for your review.

**SherbetKitty: **Yes, Albus loves his daughter and in the coming chapters he really needs encouragement. Thank you for your review and I hope you keep on reading and reviewing.

**EM**: Sorry, I meant decades. I haven't seen my mistake. I have rewritten that sentence I think five times or so and I'm sure that there was one time when I had it right. Anyway thank you for telling me and reading and reviewing this story.

**DamesFan: **Ich bin mir nicht sicher, ob ich überhaupt schon einmal eine Story gelesen habe, wo die beiden Vater und Tochter sind. Es tut mir Leid wegen der langen Pause, aber bevor meine Lehrer nicht einsehen, dass mein Tag nur 24 und nicht 56 Stunden hat, wird sich das nicht ändern. Aber ich versuch's. Danke vielmals für dein Review.

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Chapter 7 Learning Unwanted Things

It was evening again and Albus was waiting impatiently for his daughter. Surely she never came too late but he had to see her. He didn't know why he wanted this but it seemed that his soul longed for her, she remembered him so much on her mother. For nearly two hours Albus was sitting in one of his favourite armchairs and looked every two minutes at the clock. He knew she wouldn't arrive until 7 o'clock, in half an hour, but maybe… maybe she would come a few minutes earlier.

Then shortly before 7 o'clock there was a knock at the door and Minerva entered the room. She wore a dark green dress and had many pearls in her hair. She smiled at him. Minerva hoped that he would be pleased with the pearls in her hair.

"Merry Christmas, Dad", she said while closing the door and presenting him with a small in red and golden paper wrapped package. _How he had longed to hear those words._

"Merry Christmas, Minerva." He hugged her and Minerva sighed comfortably.

"I have a present for you", she said after they had parted. She gave him the present and sat down in the other armchair, curiously waiting for his reaction for she was all but sure with choosing this one and she didn't know if he would like it.

Albus looked at the package in his hands and back at Minerva. He smiled at her, no matter what this was, he would love it, because it was from her, his very own daughter. Slowly he unwrapped it and found himself confronted with nothing other than a chess set. The pieces were out of dark green and white marble as well as the chessboard. You could fold it and inside of it was green velvet for the figures. He looked back at Minerva.

"Minerva, this… this is… overwhelming, really. I have never seen a chess set like this one before."

"Mum told me you liked to play it and I must admit that it was not truly without purpose for me. You must know I have been playing chess since I was able to think and I beliefe I'm a worthy oponent for you." She said, glad that he liked her gift. Albus grinned mischievously at her.

"We will see, we will see if you can beat me. Nobody has beated me for years. Of course you can try." Minerva nodded knowingly. "I have something for you as well, of course. Wait a minute." Albus vanished for a short time in his bedroom before returning with a small package in his hands. "Open it." He demanded softly and stood behind her armchair.

Minerva took the package from him and started opening it slowly. Short afterwards she hold a small silver jewellery box in her hands. Little roses were to be seen all around it and it looked very old. Carefully she opened the box to find a silver medaillon in it with a small emerald in its middle. She looked at Albus but he encouraged her to open this one as well. Inside she found two little pictures. One of them showed her while she was sitting on the ground under a tree on a warm summer day. The other one…

"These two are you and Mum." Minerva exclaimed. She stared at the little pictures of her parents. They looked so happy together as if nothing could disturb their peace. To her dismay Minerva knew it better and one single tear ran down her cheek.

"Minerva?"

"It's allright, Dad." She answered and let herself embrace by him.

The rest of the evening they sat at the fire and played chess. Albus had to learn that there was someone, who was really better than himself and he tried again and again to win the game. But always Minerva had the last words in the games: "Check Mate"

"Oh, my back", Minerva exclaimed while she was standing several hours later. They had sat at the small table for more than four hours and her back was aching. Albus took her hands in his and led her to the armchairs. Minerva sat down, not knowing what he was going to do now, but she waited patiently. Slowly he began to massage her back and Minerva began to sigh, it felt so good and she knew that there were a lot of knots.

"Minerva?"

"Hmm?"

"I can't reach the last part of your back." Minerva opened slowly her eyes and looked at him.

"I have a few buttons there.", she yawned while Albus carefully opened them. The next she heard was a sharp gasp from him.

"Minerva, what is with your back?" She went pale and jumped to her feet.

"N-nothing, really."

"There are scars, many of them. What happened?" He said standing as well.

"Nothing, nothing. I… I fell from a tree. They are old, they mean nothing"

"I don't think so, Minerva. You know, you can trust me, no matter what happens or has happened. You know that." Minerva hesitated. She had forgotten about the scars all over her back. _How could she have been that careless._

"They are nothing. I think it is best, when I return to my dormitory now. Good night, sir." With these words she left him. Her last words had deeply cut into his heart. She had called him 'sir' and that was something he didn't want to be called, not by students, colleages and especially not by her.

He walked back and forth in his rooms and tried to think about what he had seen. Scars, many of them, and he knew that those were not scars from an accident Minerva had described. He cursed Richard McGonagall and Duncan McDrake for that. _How dared they…_Hours later Albus went to bed, he would speak with her the next day. Hopefully she had calmed down then and he got a few good ideas.

* * *

The next morning Albus was woken by an owl tapping impatiently against the glas of his window. Sleepily Albus stood up and crossed the room allowing the owl to deliver her letter. When the bird had vanished again Albus looked at it. It was an official letter, which told him that it was sent by the Ministry for Magic.

He made himself a cup of hot chocolate while yawning and sat down at his desk before opening it. While he read his face went from pale to snowy white and when he finished the writing this cup had slipped from his fingers and had fallen to the ground. Richard McGonagll wanted _his_ daughter. He would sent her to another school for, in his opinion, Hogwarts was not appropriate for _hi_s daughter.

Angrily Albus jumped to his feet and without looking at the house elf, that he had starteld by this, he stormed out of his office. _How dared they…_


	8. Away

His Daughter

Author: Leta McGotor

Disclaimer: I own nothing but some characters like Nostradamus Crehl and the McDrake family including Richard McGonagall. The other belongs to JKR.

My thanks to **EM and starlover88** for your reviews. You are great.

**gahhMinerva:** Yes, Richard McGonagall is the best example for a man you could slap again and again. He is all but a gentleman. I know it is not Christmas yet but it is great that you liked that part, nevertheless. Thank you for your review.

**SherbetKitty:** The scars play a role in the next chapter. I hope you are not too disappointed that I didn't mention them here. And yes, that creep wants Minerva, don't belive he wants her because he is the loving father. Thank you for your review.

**DamesFan:** Wieso hast du noch Ferien und ich nicht! Das ist derartig unfair! Das Blöde ist, ich kann meinen Lehrern schlecht ins Gesicht sagen, dass ich in ihrem Unterricht fast einschlafe und viel lieber meine Gedanken zu Papier bringen würde. Und ja, es wird einen _kleinen_ Familienstreit geben (so im Ausmaß vom Untergang der Welt), denn Albus wird seine Tochter nicht freiwillig hergeben (jedenfalls hatte ich das nicht geplant). Auf jeden Fall Danke für dein Review und lass wieder von dir hören.

Chapter 8: Away

Albus sat down at the head table in the Great Hall, but it seemed that he had left his thoughts upstairs with the letter on his desk. He stirred in his cup nearly the whole breakfast along and didn't notice that Professor Crehl tried to talk to him for ten minutes now. It was in vain. Albus only looked at his cup, as if it was something very special and noticed nothing of the happenings around him. To his luck not many people noticed the absence of his thoughts for there were the Christmas Holidays and most of the students and parts of the staff had gone home to their families.

When breakfst was finished all made their way through the hall to leave but Albus only sat there and did nothing. So Minerva went up to the table with a worried expression on her face. Was it because of her bahaviour of the last evening that he seemed in another world or was it something else, problems with the school, with some of his colleages, trouble with the Ministry or something she couldn't imagine. She guessed that it was not her behaviour for nobody in her whole life had ever shown such an reaction, nobody, with the exception of her mother had loved her enough, to be upset with her in this way.

When she reached the Head Table she looked around. Nobody was near them and so she sighed before stepping closer.

"Dad?" Albus showed no reaction and Minerva was sure that he ignored her willingly. She swallowed. Had she hurt him that much that evening? "Dad?" Minerva's voice was quiet for she was all but sure about what to say. Little did she know that it were not her words that took his thoughts away, but the letter he received this morning. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to upset you. Please, forgive me. I promise I will never do it again." A tear fell from her eyes as she made her way back, Albus hadn't noticed that she had spoken with him.

* * *

This afternoon Albus was sitting in his office and waited for Minerva. They had planned that the last day, but he was not sure if she would come. The whole morning he had thought about the letter and asked himself what to do. First he wanted to discuss it with his daughter at lunch but to his surprise she was missing when he had entered the Great Hall and he wondered why. When he had finished eating he had waited for her but she never came. Now he stared at his office door and hoped that soon there would be a knock. But he waited in vain. From time to time he looked at his clock. She was never late and it worried Albus what could have happened to her. 

After one hour had come and gone Albus stood and made his way downstairs, out to the Qudditch Pitch. Flying was one of Minerva's hobbies, he knew and he was sure that she would use every opportunity to train. But to his dismay she was nowhere to be seen and he made his way back and up to the library. Surely she was reading something or made her homework. He found a few students and some of them asked something about their Transfiguration homework but he noticed quickly that Minerva was not among them. After he had cheched on the common room, the kitchens, the Astronomy Tower, the Transfiguration classroom and the dungeons he made his way to the Forbidden Forst.

It was becoming dark outside and the students, who had had a snowball fight, had gone back to their dormitories. Soon he reached the edge of the forest, his clothes wet from the snow. But to his dismay all was dark and nowhere was a figure moving around. He called her name once, twice but he didn't get an answer. Where could she be at that time of the day and why was she avoiding him? Or has something happened to her? Panic rose in him for he didn't knew where else to look for her. He called her name for the last time before turning around to go back to the castle. Then he heard something and stopped. Slowly he turned around, wand in his hand.

"Dad?" Albus was relieved. From out of the forest Minerva came stumbling toward him. He smiled at her but stopped when he saw her lost and teary expression.

"Minerva, what happened? Are you alright?" He hurried to her and hugged her before he looked in her face waiting for answers.

"I'm fine, really.", she added when she saw his unbelieving expression. "I'm only a little bit tired, that's all."

"Why were you in there?"

"I… I looked for… a place to think."

"What is your problem, Minerva? You know we can talk about all and there will always be my window to look out and clear your mind. So what is it?"

"You… you must know I'm really sorry. But I haven't talked to anybody about it. I didn't want to be that harsh. Please, forgive me, Dad." Albus was confused. What was she taking about?

"Minerva, I believe I don't understand what you are saying. Sorry for what? Never talked about what? I can't follow your thoughts."

"Yesterday evening, the reason why you were upset with me today."

"I was not upset with you, Minerva. There is no reason why I should."

"But you ignored me this morning, you said nothing to me you didn't even show any reaction."

"You have talked to me this morning? I'm sorry Minerva, I didn't notice. My thoughts were far away and I didn't notice that anybody was talking to me. I'm sorry, I didn't intend to make you believe I was upset with you. Surely I was upset, but not with you."

"Not with me, but why…"

"I got a letter from the Ministry this morning. Your fath… I mean Richard McGongall and your uncle want to take you away from Hogwarts. You are supposed to go to another school."

"No! I want to stay at Hogwarts, I want to stay with you. They can't… I will not go anywhere. They don't have the right to decide about me. He is not my father! Dad, please, do something."

"Of course, of course. Tomorrow we will go to the Ministry and speak with them. You will see, it is going to be alright."

"When you say it is so then it is so, Dad." Albus smiled weakly at her. He was not sure that all would work out how he hoped it would, but never would he tell this Minerva. So both linked arms and made their way back to the castle.

* * *

The next morning Albus and Minerva were the only ones who had got up that early and the whole school was sleeping when they left the castle with a portkey to reach the Ministry. Their appointment was early but they didn't want to come to late for fear that they would have a bad point if they would do so. Arriving at the Ministry they sat down in front of the office they had to go to. With them there were no other people and they sat in comfortable silence. 

After what seemd like an eternity the door of the office opened and a small man with brown hair came out, talking to somebody they couldn't see yet. But only seconds later Richard McGonagall stepped out of the office into the corridor.

"Thank you, that you listened to me. You see my daughter is very important to me and now after… after Victoria's death (he took a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed his eyes), she is all I have left. Thank you for your understanding. It means a great deal to me to know my daughter at a school, which is the best for her. And I believe that Hogwarts isn't suitable."

"Of course, of course, after such a tragic loss your daughter must have the chance to learn to live without the mother. I'm so sorry for all what happened." The Ministry official said.

Minerva stared at both men, not believing her ears. Albus instead had risen to his feet and was going to the two other men.

"Sorry, to interrupt, but what is going on? I have brought the girl in question with me that she can decide on her own what is the best for her and I don't belive that her _father_ is the best choice." He marked the word father and looked at Richard McGonagall. "Don't you think that staying at the school is the best for her, because she is used to the surroundings, she has friends and…"

"And she always will be reminded on her mother. No. Minerva is going with me. I'm her father and I decide."

"I see that this way, too, Professor Dumbledore. The girl will have a very hard time when she stays at Hogwarts. It is better for her to have the remaining family around her in the next time. Surely you'll understand that. And now excuse me, I have a lot of work to do." With these words the man went back into his office.

Richard McGonagall was grinning broadly at Albus. "And you lose again, you crazy fool. First Victoria and now Minerva. Isn't it a bit depressing to always lose against me, is it? I have won again" He laughed before he turned around, sized Minerva at her arm and pulled her with him down the corridor.

Reviews?


	9. The Daughter in the Middle

His Daughter

Author: Leta McGotor

Disclaimer: I own nothing but some characters like Nostradamus Crehl and the McDrake family including Richard McGonagall. The other belongs to JKR.

**Starlover88**: You like it? I hope you think so about the next chapter, too. Thank you for your review.

**DamesFan:** Sag mal, hast du nur Urlaub? Ich schlage mir hier die Tests um die Ohren und du fliegst zum Schüleraustausch – kannst du nicht mit mir tauschen? Aber, was soll's, bald habe ich auch wieder Ferien. Wie ich deinen („wenigen") Ausführungen entnehmen konnte, gefällt dir das, ja? Ich bin gespannt, was du zum nächsten Kapitel sagst. Danke für dein Review und ich hoffe ich höre wieder bald von dir.

**EM**: I believe that he is still present in the next chapters, sorry, but he has to, there is no way around. But maybe his last scene is not that good for him, you understand what I mean? I haven't got the idea yet, but I (and you) will see what comes, right? Thanks for your review.

**SherbetKitty:** "Urgh, he is so…urgh!" – You read my soul, I can't like him, either. He is a bit the combination of all I don't like – arrogant, cruel, nasty and much more. He is not the dream of a man. Thank your for your review (and the same opinion about Richard)

- You are great! -

* * *

Chapter 9 The Daughter in the Middle 

Albus Dumbledore stood in the middle of the corridor in the Ministry for Magic, not moving, not looking around, only gaping at the far corner, where only seconds ago his greatest private enemy had vanished and pulled his daughter with him. Hours seemed to come and go before Albus could come out of his reverie. Then from one second to the next panic rose inside of him that he maybe had lost her by simply standing here and doing nothing. That couldn't be true. Therefore he ran the way down to the corner and also two other corridors. All people he met looked curiously at him, not sure whether that man had gone mad and if there were people, who wanted to bring him to St, Mungo's. All that people didn't matter to Albus in the moment. _May they think what they want. _

Then Albus reached ther Entrance Hall of the Ministry. Furously he looked around but Richard and Minerva McGonagall were not among the wizrads and witches waiting to depart by Floo powder, so he ran around the cleaning wizards, who had a lot work to do with cleaning the Fountain of Magical Brethren and collecting all the coins in the pool. Albus jumped into one lift, which gates were nearly closed and waited impatiently to get outside. In fact, Albus was that nervous that all people were scared when he looked grumpier and grumpier with each minute they needed. In the end Albus jumped out of the lift and onto the street. He looked around. It was impossible that they had gone in this short time. Albus looked around all corners, in some of the other streets and called Minerva's name, but to his dismay nobody reacted. Dejected and with hanging shoulders Albus made his way back to Hogwarts, his brain working non-stop on a plan how he would get his daughter back.

* * *

It was the same day when Albus found himself standing in front of a huge manor, the family manor of the McGonagall's. Never did he imagine that this building was that gigantic, but it was. He swallowed while waiting that somebody would open the door for him. Half a minute later a young woman, hardly of age Albus thought, opened the door and looked shy and frightened at him. 

"Good afternoon, sir. How can I serve you?" Albus was taken aback by the woman bowing in front of him and waiting to fulfill his orders. With a raised eyebrow he said:

"Good afternoon. I was looking for Richard McGonagall or Minerva McGonagall. Is one of them at home?"

"The Sir is at home, yes. Whom shall I announce, sir."

"That is not neccesary. It will do that I speak to him on my own." Albus saw that the woman opened her mouth to protest but in that moment he had entered the house and strode to the living area. He didn't know exactly where he could find it but he had a clue. All those old manors looked the same, didn't they?

After a short run along several long and cold corridors Albus stood in front of two wooden double doors. He swallowed for the last time, knocked and without waiting for a response he entered the room, for he was sure what he was doing. When he stepped into the room (it more seemed like a hall), he was greeted by the disgusting smile of Richard McGonagall. He held a glass of red wine in his one hand and his wand pointing at Albus in the other. He sat very relaxed in his armchair near the fire, while Minerva – Albus realised with a short glance around the room – stood at the far end lost in a dark corner. She wore no shoes and her hair looked like it had met a storm. She had changed clothes and wore now a dirty-grey dress, which was to big for her. She didn't dare look in Albus' direction and simply stared at the floor.

"Albus, I knew you would come. What a pleasure that you could make it that early to my little home. I know it is nothing compared with your rooms at Hogwarts (he smiled even wider) but today you have to accept my common standards. Let's talk, let's talk. Please, sit down." Albus didn't move an inch. He didn't intend to chat with Richard McGonagall.

"You know, why I'm here, Richard. I want my daughter."

"_Your_ daughter? Isn't her name Minerva _McGonagall_, is it? How can you assume that she is yours?"

"You know perfectly well, that she is not your flesh…"

"Do I? Of course she is not my child. Look at her. That pale skin, the colour of her eyes, her hair – she is not a beauty."

"She looks nearly the same her mother had done and Victoria is… was beautiful, as well as Minerva is today."

"Victoria? You live in the past, wake up. You have no evidence that she is not mine. But if you want her, you can have her."

"Pardon?"

"Yes, yes you have understood me right. You can have her but not without a little fight." He had jumped to his feet and was now facing Albus. "What, Albus? Are you scared? Don't want to risk your life? I don't intend to kill but in the end there will be one of us, who defeats the other and I will be the one who triumphs. Understood? So what is your choice? Fight for _your daughter_ or rescue the little bit of pride you have left, Dumbledore?" Albus reached for his wand, never would he give up Minerva and if he had to fight against the whole world. Richard McGonagall grinned fiendish at him.

"Rule one, Dumbledore, no killing. Rule two: No one leaves that room. Rule three: The fight is finished when one resigns or when one of us is unconscious. Rule four: The help of others is not accepted and the one who receives it will lose the fight. Rule five: The price is Minerva. Questions?"

"It couldn't be clearer."

The two men started to duel. One after the other spell, jinx and curse flew through the air and hit another one, furniture and from time to time one of the two. Minerva only could stand in her corner and watch. She couldn't move, it seemed her feet were glued to the ground. Her thoughts raced each other. She wanted so desperately to help her father but knew if she dared, he would lose the battle. So she stayed pressed against the cold wall behind her. Hours seemed to come and go and the coloured lights flew through the air, as if they tried to form a rainbow.

Meanwhile Albus was in his element. Never he had belonged to those who duelled for fun but this time he felt for the first time right doing it. While he shot one curse after the other, he had a picture in front of his eyes, a picture of Victoria, Minerva and of himself. Something that wasn't allowed to be. But it seemed that this one gave him the strenght to continue until he felt that he maybe could really win that battle.

Minerva, too, saw what her father felt. Richard McGonagall looked worn out and at the edge of his power. He would lose and she would go back to where she belonged, she felt it deep down in her heart. But suddenly she went pale. She had seen that look on the face of Richard McGonagall, that short evil smile. This made her move. She came to her feet and ran to the centre of the room, standing between the two oponents, who both had shot their curses. Albus screamed her name, he didn't intend to hurt her. Why had she run between them? Richard was shocked, too. He had planned that curse for her father, not for the girl.

It was an explosion of light when the two curses hit Minerva simultaneous and it was followed by silence. When Albus could see again through the dust he saw the crumpled figure of his daughter lying on the ground, motionless. Within a fraction of a second he was by her side but Minerva didn't breathe.

**Reviews?**


	10. A Blur

His Daughter

Author: Leta McGotor

Disclaimer: I own nothing but some characters like Nostradamus Crehl and the McDrake family including Richard McGonagall. The other belongs to JKR.

I'm really sorry that it took me so long to update but I was in hospital for a short time and afterwards I felt nothing but horrible. I hope you can forgive me.

**Amy:** Toll, noch einer, der der deutschen Sprache mächtig ist. Du verzeihst, dass ich dir deshalb auch auf Deutsch antworte, ja? Wie gesagt, hatte ich eine OP (Weißheitszahn) und konnte deshalb kein Update reinsetzen. Jedenfalls danke für dein Review. (Die anderen für Kapitel 1 und 2 und so sind auch von dir? Freut mich, dass die Story dein Interesse geweckt hat)

**DamesFan:** Also schläfst du die nächsten Tage durch, ja? Gute Erholung wünsche ich dir. Danke, dass du trotz deiner Erschöpfung reviewed hast und ja, Richard ist einfach nur ein Mistkerl und deshalb freu ich mich schon noch etwas „Schönes" über ihn zu schreiben. Ich hoffe, ich höre bald wieder von dir.

**Starlover88**: Sorry for the cliff but it had to be. I hope you are not too angry. Nevertheless, thank you for your review.

**Melissa:** I don't know whether you can accept this theory as possible, but why not? Thank you for your review.

**EM:** Questions, questions, questions. I answer a few of them in this chapter but for others you have to read the following ones. Thank you for your questions – I mean for your review.

**SherbetKitty:** Only Minerva can tell which spell Richard used (why? – You will see), so you have to wait a bit for this answer. I hope you like it so far and continue reading, thank you for your review.

**Emerald.blossoms:** Ok, and here is the update. I hope you continue reading (and reviewing). Great, that you have reviewed.

* * *

Chapter 10 A Blur 

It was a quiet whisper, nothing more and nothing less. All that was to be seen was a blur of white, white, white and white. Only from time to time there were other colours and when they came the whispers came with them. Over the time – were it seconds, hours, days? – they intesified, but still she could not grasp the meaning of all this.

Where was she? Where had she landed? The blur was a puzzle for Minerva, who didn't know what had happened. She knew she had run between the both oponents, and then? She couldn't remember, that she had left that place. Where was her father, and where Richard McGonagall? Had it come to a disaster?

Concentrating hard on one point Minerva tried to see something in the blur or hear something out of the whispers, but it was in vain. After several minutes she sank back in what seemed an increased sort of coloured fog. Where was she and why was she alone?

* * *

Albus sat in front of his desk, but only for a short time. He was used to jump to his feet, stride through his office and sit down again. It was all his fault. He had done so many mistakes in the past years of his life that he couldn't think of all of them. But now he had made definitely his biggest mistake and the result was, that he had lost his one and only daughter to a place he was not allowed to visit. The healers were not sure whether she would make it or not for she showed only small improvement if there was any at all.Surely she breathed again but all other seemed blown out because of the curses, that had hit her.

He had tried to visit her just this morning, he was allowed to watch her through a window. Her eyes had been open, but they were emty. There was nothing, which reminded of the green fire every time she laughed or she could play chess against someone. Albus had felt far far away from her and every time he stood behind this window he wished he could just sit next to her and tell her how important she was to him, how much he missed her already.

Now he looked out of his own window in Hogwarts and saw some of the students play Quidditch for it was a sunny although cold day. Albus sighed and looked at the watch. Half an hour left until dinner. After it he would make his way back to the hospital. This had become his daily routine. Surely it wasn't that easy when he had classes to teach but today was Saturday and no school. Suddenly there was a knock at the door and before Albus could turn around, Professor Crehl had entered the rooms. When he saw Albus, he sighed and let himself fall into the next chair.

"How is she? Not much better, I suppose?"

"No, but I will visit her after dinner."

"Again? I don't know whether this is necessary. I mean she is unlikely going to know that you have visited her."

"Maybe…."

"Albus, she doesn't feel anything and you are sure that she knows you are there? See the truth, Albus. She is lucky when she returns in the end of winter, you know that."

"Yes, but…"

"Anyway, what exactly hit her? What did you use that she is in that state?"

"I don't know. I only wanted to glue him to the wall for he was fast in what he did. I don't know what he used but I'm sure it was something Dark. Minerva must have seen that… I… I can't explain it otherwise."

"Where is Richard McGonagall now?"

"I don't know. I had enough to do with Minerva – she didn't even breathe after that – so I have no idea where he might have gone. Until now he could be everywhere."

"Yes, but I suppose he will not be very happy."

"What do you mean with that?"

"I have my sources, too, Albus. I, for example, know that Richard McGonagall has some problems with old friends of him. According to my sources he has some money problems and owes a lot of it to some people, who - let me explain - are not keen on waiting. If they don't get their money soon, there will be nobody who is able to give it to them anymore. You understand what I mean. Besides that, these people are not his biggest problem for he had a row with Duncan McDrake. You must be tired of life if you really dare to disagree with Duncan McDrake."

"Yes, I believe he will have a problem."

"Only a little one, a mortal one. I mean he is insane, isn't he? Surely, he must be insane. Duncan McDrake is nobody you can… but it is not my problem. If I'm not mistaken dinner started only one minute ago and I want to test the new soup. Albus? Are you coming?"

"Yes, yes, I'm here. And after dinner I can visit Minerva again." Albus answered although his thoughts were far away from matters like dinner and the new soup.

* * *

Barely an hour later Albus was standing in front of a tall witch with a strict expression. She had a spring-back file in one and a murky green-brown potion in her other hand. The medi-witch looked all but happy at the sight of Albus. 

"You again. Haven't I told you, that nobody is allowed to visit the girl, have I? Even if you were the Minister for Magic I wouldn't allow. She needs to rest. Of course you can watch her through the window. I don't know how this is helpful, but of course you can" Then she turned round and stormed along the corridor until she turned around the next corner, mumbling something of a 'waste of time'. Albus sighed, it was always the same.

He stood in front of the window and looked fron distance at the only bed in the room with it's still very pale occupant. Albus was relieved for he had seen something, nobody else could see, he was sure. This morning and all the times before Minerva had looked troubled but now it seemed that she was peaceful asleep. Albus was wondering what she was dreaming about and hoped that her dream would go on until she woke up. Maybe she dreamed of Qidditch, or of chess, or her friends or Transfiguration or some invented adventures or maybe – but only maybe – he was objekt of her dream.

Reviews?


	11. Headache and Pardons

His Daughter

Author: Leta McGotor

Disclaimer: I own nothing but some characters like Nostradamus Crehl and the McDrake family including Richard McGonagall. The other belongs to JKR. **(A big thank-you goes to my beta Artemis Sprape)**

**Amy**: Thank you for your review. I hope my story is different in a positive way. Can I read your thoughts about this chapter soon?

**Arashisama:** I don't know whether anything is realistic, but of course we are not JKR. I have nothing to say against the pairing and I have written some, too. Momentarily I have a story in my head with the pairing TRMM but I don't know when I will start writing it. Thank you for your thoughts.

**Darkforces:** Thank you for your review.

**SherbetKitty:** You don't write your reviews, you _feel_ them, right? With your "cries" or "bites nails anxiously" you let your review come to live and it is always wonderful to read them. Thank you for it. The answers for your questions you can read here.

**Starlover88:** I wonder whether I'm able to drive you mad. I hope this chapter isn't enough to do so. Thank you for your review.

**Tigrlillie21:** Although one "please" is enough, it feels great when someone pleads – no, no, don't understand it wrong. Only a joke. I'm not a tyrant – thank you for your review.

**Emerald.blossoms:** Thank you that you care for my health, but I think I'm ok now. I only wish that I needn't go to school. Then I could update sooner. Thank you for your review.

**DamesFan:** Ich weiß, was du mit "Schule kann echt Hölle sein" meinst. Es geht mir auch nicht besser. Ich weiß nicht, ob man dieses Kapitel als „fröhlich" bezeichnen kann, weil bald noch ein kleiner Schock für Albus hinzukommt, aber ich gebe mir Mühe es nicht ganz so dunkel wirken zu lassen. Bis bald.

* * *

Chapter 11 

Albus looked for the last time in his mirror before he intended to go down for breakfast. Breakfast. He only made his way down because he had nothing other to do. He wasn't hungry today and in the last days he wasn't, either. Surely he had eaten something but it tasted as if he would chew on air. Even his beloved candies lay forgotten in the corner of his desk. He saw the dark circles under his eyes while looking at his reflection, which weren't there a few days ago. Surely since the incident with Minerva he hadn't slept very well, in fact he barely had slept at all. If Albus had been a witch, he would have used some make-up or things like that, but he was a wizard and he would never use such things.

It was the moment when Albus reached his door, his fingers only inches from the doorknob, when a loud knock came to his ears. Who would want to speak with him at that time? While he was standing beside his door and thought about who this person could be, he or she knocked again, louder and harder this time. This shook Albus out of his reverie and startled he opened the door.

"Good morning, Albus. Have you read the Prophet?" Hastily Professor Crehl rushed past Albus and put the paper on the desk. Obviously he had eaten breakfast yet for his mouth was covered with rests of his milk he used to drink every morning. "This article… never awaited it so soon… not this way, anyway… of course I thought…"

"Nostradamus, what are you talking about?" Albus didn't know to what his friend and colleage was referring to and he felt too tired to work it out on his own.

"You haven't read the paper, have you?" He looked at him as if Albus was a student, who had forgotten his homework. But before the other could say anything he turned around to the desk onces more.

"No, I hadn't the pleasure yet. Something interesting, something special?" Albus asked and his voice was evident that he didn't mean the words. Never had he read anything really interesting or special in the Daily Prophet.

"Richard McGonagall, Albus, Richard McGonagall", mumbled the other.

"What's with him?" Albus asked agravated. Every time someone mentioned this man – even his name or something, that had to do with him - he became angry.

"He's dead."

"Pardon?" Whatever Albus had expected, it was something other.

"Yes Albus, he's dead. Now tell what you had to do with it."

"Pardon?"

* * *

She had never had a headache as worse as this one, she was sure. You could think - that means if you were able to think because of the headache - that someone wanted to split your skull. She looked around. White walls, a white ceiling, white curtains in front of what had to be windows. Had she ever visited a place like this one? She was sure that she never had seen this room before. 

Slowly Minerva turned her head when a tall woman dressed in white opened a white door. Her first thought was, that the first thing she would do when she could reach her wand was to bring colour in this room, maybe a bit green and red flowers would look nice.

The woman didn't look at Minerva and went to a big cupboard in the far corner. Nearly half an hour she was looking for potions and bandages. Finally Minerva's headache increased more and more that she cleared her throat loudly. Obviously she had startled the other woman for all the things she had had in her hands crashed to the floor. Really pale in her face she turned around slowly.

"Oh, my…" She began while holding her hands up. "You… you are awake." She studdered.

"Yes, I…" Minerva started quietly for she hadn't the strenght to speak louder.

"That's fantastic! But we didn't expect… we didn't dare to hope…unbelievable."

"What is unbelievable? Can you tell where we are and what happened? Can you tell me what happened with my fath…"

"St. Mungo's, my girl. You were hit by two curses at least. It's a wonder that you… are you in pain?" The medi-witch asked when Minerva was suddenly hit by a new wave of her headache.

"Headache.", she mumbled and before she could say anything else, the woman was beside her and gave her a light red potion.

"Drink that. I will see if I can't catch the healer:" With these words and something, which sounded like 'wonder, unbelievable' she left the room. Minerva drank what the woman had given her. It tasted horrible but she decided that her headache was even worse, so with one big gulp the red potion had vanished and Minerva put the empty bottle back on the little table beside her bed. Instantly she felt her whole body relaxing and soon she felt in a light slumber.

It seemed only a few minutes later that Minerva was woken by some voices. A woman spoke fast something she couldn't undertsand and a man was answering whatever the woman had said. Somehow she seemed to know this voice. Slowly she opened her eyes. First it all was a blur – a white blur - but then all became clear and she saw the medi-witch, who had given her the potion against her headache, and beside her stood non other than Duncan McDrake.

_Reviews?_


	12. knocked over

His Daughter

Author: Leta McGotor

Disclaimer: I own nothing but some characters like Nostradamus Crehl and the McDrake family including Richard McGonagall. The other belongs to JKR. **(A big thank-you goes to my beta Artemis Sprape)**

**Amy:** I have read something about Albus having kids but only one or two times. It's strange that nobody seems to think about him having a family. Thank you for your review.

**Starlover88:** What are you going to do? To hex me into the next century? Don't forget that we are not wizards and witches and that we can't do magic. Therefore you simply have to wait until the next update. I promise that I try to update as soon as possible. Thank you for reviewing.

**SherbetKitty:** Richard's death is something I will explain in the next chapters. Sometimes I believe Minerva would be happier to stay unconscious than to… yes, you will read it. Thank you for your dance – I mean, your review.

**DamesFan:** Nett von dir mal reinzuschauen. Albus und der Mord – ja, ich muss zugeben etwas Derartiges schwebte mir auch vor. Was genau da noch kommt wirst du bestimmt lesen. Danke für dein Review.

**Kiwi.307: **Thank you for your review.

**Tigrlillie21:** Problems? I don't know whether I would say problems but yes, he is going to have some… difficulties. Thank you for your review.

Chapter 12:

There was a knock at the door and the two professors, who had stared confused at each other turned to it simultaneous. An early visitor? Albus couldn't imagine who beside Nostradamus Crehl would visit him at this hour of the day. Shrugging he went to the door and opened it. The disappointed and curious face of Armando Dippet greeted him and next to the headmaster two other men stood waiting.

"Good morning, Armando. I didn't expect you this early. Is there a problem?" Albus tried to sound as airy as possible but even he noted his slight shaking voice. Why was it shaking? There was nothing he had to fear, was there? A small voice in his head repeated what Professor Crehl had said just two minutes ago:_Yes Albus, he's dead. Now tell what you had to do with it._ Albus swallowed. They couldn't believe that he had something to do with the death of this man, could they?

"I fear there is, Albus. These two gentlemen are from the Ministry and they have some questions they want to ask you. They are questions about somebody named Richard McGonagall. Albus, what is the meaning of all this?" Albus felt the piercing gazes of his two colleages and of the two aurors. Nobody said a word and the pregnant silence was nearly unbearable when Professor Crehl seemed to have found his voice.

"I would suggest you welcome the two ministry officials in your office, Albus."

"Wha…? Yes, yes, of course. Please, come in." The three men followed Albus into his office and Professor Dippet sat down as well as Professor Crehl. The two other remained standing.

"We are here to ask you about the death of Richard McGongall. You know that he is dead?"

"Y-yes. I have read the article."

"So you know where his body was found?"

"Ähm… no. I-I haven't read it but Professor Crehl intended to read it because I was late for breakfast and he thought I might be interested." Why was he that nervous?

"Why did he think that?"

"I… he…"

"Maybe because Professor Dumbledore hated this man above all others and he wanted to tell him that the plan had worked and that his rival was dead, right?", said the other auror without looking at Albus or Professor Crehl.

"No" Albus bellowed. "I…"

"Isn't it right, sir, that the girl he claims to be his daughter is truly yours?"

"Yes, but…"

"Isn't it true that you fought with him about the girl?"

"Yes, we…"

"Isn't it true that the girl was badly hurt while your duel?"

"Yes, she…"

"And isn't it right that Richard McGongall ran away afterwards and that you swore to hunt him and let him pay for what he did?"

"Not quite…"

"Isn't it true, that you told all people around you that you intended to visit your daughter?"

"Yes, because…"

"Isn't it right that nobody can tell when you come and when you leave the hospital?"

"I don't…"

"Isn't it right that you left the hospital early yesterday evening?"

"Yes, because…"

"Isn't it true that you had enough time to kill Richard McGongall in front of the hospital?"

"He was at the hospital?"

"Aswer my question."

"I haven't…"

"No further questions. Professor Dumbledore, we have to ask you to accompany us to the Ministry for Magic to answer other questions before you go to Azkaban to await your trial."

"Wha… pardon?"

* * *

"I don't go with him."

"But, my dear, he… he is all you have left after… the murder of your father", answered the medi-witch in hope to persuade Minerva to go with her uncle, the –in her opinion – only family the girl had left.

"The what? My father? What happened? He… he can't be… that's impossible. You are a liar. He is not dead." Minerva answered and crossing her arms sat back on her bed.

"Oh, poor girl. I know it must be hard for you…"

"Nothing is hard for me. My father is alive." The woman only shook her head. "Poor one. Your father was murdered by Albus Dumbledore, your uncle said. I never thought that a man like him…"

"Can you repeat that?"

"Oh, I only said that I never had thought Professor Dumbledore would do… could do something like that. Horrible, isn't it?"

"Albus Dumbledore is alive?"

"Yes, he is and…"

"And why are you telling me my father is dead?" Minerva ignored the bewildered look of the medi-witch, who seemed to understand nothing. The other woman only shook her head again and mumbled something, that sounded like "poor dear, the shock". Then she hurtled out of the room. Minerva only snorted. She hadn't cought the meaning of what the medi-witch had said, but it didn't matter to her at the moment. The only important thing was, that her father – her real father - was alive and surely would pick her up soon. She only needed to wait.

A few minutes later two young men and one woman came into her room. While the men waited near the door the woman gave Minerva her clothes.

"You will need them. It's cold outside and you are too weak.", she said.

"But I'm not going anywhere." Minerva protested. Why didn't the people here understand that she would not go with her uncle?

"But they have said you have to. Your uncle payed for you going with him. You have to."

"No, I haven't. I won't go with him and you can't force me." With that Minerva jumped from her bed and ran to the door. But somehow the way seemed to be longer than she had imagined and halfway she had lost her strenght and had to kneel on the floor to catch her breath again. She felt as if she had run around the whole castle of Hogwarts for several times. She couldn't even breathe properly. Suddenly Minerva felt that somebody lifted her up and sat her in what seemed like a muggle wheelchair.

"You haven't your whole strenght back, yet. Please, understand that and now be quiet and nice and I will bring you to your uncle." Minerva wanted to protest again but she couldn't breathe properly yet, so the only thing she could do was to caugh. "You see you do nothing good for your health when you keep protesting like that." The medi-witch said.

"But…" Minerva caughed.

"And there is one other thing you have to learn: There are no 'but's and no protests. Don't forget from now on you will live under my roof." A voice came from behind Minerva. Slowly she turned around and faced Duncan McDrake. "I won't let you go anywhere anymore. That is a promise."

_Reviews?_


	13. It's cold

His Daughter

Author: Leta McGotor

Disclaimer: I own nothing but some characters like Nostradamus Crehl and the McDrake family including Richard McGonagall. The other belongs to JKR. **(A big thank-you goes to my beta Artemis Sprape – yes, you read it correctly, I mean you Arty!)**

**EM:** Thank you for your review.

**Kiwi.307**: It is easy for them but for others it is disastrous. Thank you for reviewing.

**DamesFan:** Hallöchen. Ja, ich weiß, absolut fair, aber wenn es wirklich so wäre, hätte das ganze einige Kapitel weniger. Ich weiß nicht genau, ob mir das mit Azkaban in diesem Kapitel hier gelungen ist, aber ich habe versucht das Bestmögliche daraus zu machen. Danke dafür, dass du ein Review abgegeben hast und ich hoffe, ich höre bald wieder von dir.

**SherbetKitty**: No, they didn't mean something good, either, but they are not too bad. Albus, yes, he will not have a really good time. Thank you for your review.

**Darkforces:** Thank you for your praise and I hope I can fulfill your expectations with this chapter.

I'm really, really sorry that it took me that long but there was so much new in school for me, that it was impossible to even think about the next chapter. I have decided to learn Russian and because it's in the middle of term I have to repeat that last four months or so on my own. So I'm really sorry and I hope you can forgive me.

Chapter 13 It's cold

It was a long day and it was not. Albus sat in his little cell in Azkaban and it shook him. He could feel it when the dementors came near him or when they were floating away. But even when they were far away from him, he could still feel their presence. But this was nothing compared with what he had seen, heard and felt when they had brought him up hear. He hadn't noticed the missing glas of his window, had not seen the board he was to be sleeping on, all what had counted where the voices in his head.

Never Albus had felt more miserable than now. When he looked around he saw the depressing walls or the sea which seemed to be colder than ice. But when he closed his eyes, he saw them. Those two faces, he wouldn't forget in his whole life. He saw the lightening green eyes, the full red lips, the little nose. He could feel her smooth skin, the silky hair, he could even smell her parfume – roses, allways roses. But then suddenly the face faded and all what was left was screaming, crying. Every time he tried to help her but every time there was nothing but darknes, darkness and darkness around him. It tore his heart apart that he would never see her again – his beloved Victoria.

But mostly he didn't saw the face of Victoria McDrake but one, that was so much alike this one that a stranger would speak of twins. Surely there were differences between them and Albus knew them all by heart – the long bridge of her nose, her small mouth, the way of her smile, the sound of her voice, the way she moved. Indeed Minerva McGongall was an independent girl that liked to live her own life. Was there ever a chance that he would see her again? Was she awake yet? Had they told her what had happened and would she believe them?

Every time Albus tried to get rid of those thoughts he turned around and then he didn't saw her face beyond his closed eyes, but standing in the next corner watching him and the expression on her face broke his heart completely. In those times he had told himself again and again that these images were not true, not real and nothing more than that - images.

It was the deepest night now, or was it morning yet? Albus didn't know because they had taken all what he had from him. He had not only seen his wand vanish into a little box, but his precious watch – a present from Victoria – and all what he had carried with him as well. Now he lay awake and thought of all what had happened. It all went so slow that day but simultaneous so fast that he couldn't get it all straight what had happened at all. The memory was a strange thing.

First there were those officials from the Ministry, then the Ministry itself. They had asked again and again the same questions and every time they beliefed only themselves instead of him. Why had they asked him at all? He knew that he had not murdered Richard McGongall, but trying to remember what he had done at that time, nothing came to his mind. He couldn't even remember to have left the hospital.

Suddenly Albus heard a strange noise and only seconds later the door to his cell opened and a man staggered in. Shortly afterwards the door was shut loudly and the man fell to the ground. Albus sat up.

"Can I help you?", he asked.

"No, no, nobody can help me. Nobody." To Albus' great surprise the man started crying.

"There, there. There is always someone who can help you."

"No, nobody can bring them back.", the man cried now into Albus' shoulder.

"Who?"

"My wife and my children."

"What happened to them?"

"They are gone. I came home and… and they were gone… all of them… and all the blood… I swear I will kill the one who has done that. I swear it. You must know I have loved them dearly… Surely I was never worthy enough for her but she took me nervertheless and we are happy together, I mean, were happy together…"

"Why are you here?"

"I tried to kill someone."

"Why?"

"He has murdered them, I know it. The way he used to look at her and… and all. He is the murderer of my family, I know it."

"And you thought it better to kill him yourself instead of informing the Ministry?"

"The Ministry? Are you mad? That man is right. They get nothing straight. They wouldn't recognize a murderer when he is killing them. That man was right."

"What man?"

"In the pub… Said something about a guy – I have forgotten the name – he has… has killed. I didn't believe it when he told it but later I thought he could have been right. He knew all the details."

"Oh" was all Albus could say. His thoughts were far away now. Again he wished he could stay with his daughter. If there were so many maniacs out there, would she be safe where she was? The other man went to the other corner and began sleeping there, but Albus stayed where he was. Again with only one question in mind: Would he see his beloved daughter again?

* * *

Far away from the prison of Azkaban sat a lonely girl at a window and looked out. Like she had done it in Hogwarts, she did it not only because she enjoyed what she saw – although it was a wonderful view from her rooms in the highest tower the castle had – but because she needed to order her thoughts. There were so many questions that needed to be answered and so many answeres that didn't fit to her questions. 

She didn't believe one word when the people around her told her of the murder of her "father". Of course Minerva knew that he was dead and she didn't doubt it, either, but she was sure that her real father had nothing to do with it. He would never do something stupid like that, never. Every time someone tried to peruade her from the "truth" – how they called it – she became more and more aggravated unil she couldn't control herself. Therfore she sat at the window now and looked at the darkness outside. She wondered what her father was doing now and how he was.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door behind her. Slowly she looked around. Who would dare it to knock at three in the morning? She called out that whoever might be there should enter. Minerva rolled her eyes when her uncle entered her rooms with a small candle in his hand.

"Good Morning, Minerva. How are you?"

"Don't ask things you don't want to know. What is it? Why are you here?

"I wanted to tell you that you have to pack your belongings." He answered calmly but with light anger in his voice.

"Why?"

"Because you are to go to school tomorrow."

"I can return to Hogwarts." Minerva's hopes went high. She could return to Hogwarts and afterwards her father could return, too. '_That would be wonderful. I could wait for him and then he would smile and hug me and then we would have a game of chess and…'_ Minerva thought and imagined all the things they could do when they were reunited. But then she looked at her uncle and saw that he shook his head.

"You are going to Beauxbatons. I had a chat with the headmistress a few hours ago. She would be glad to have you as her student."

"But I want to go to Hogwarts. Please Uncle Duncan, let me return to Hogwarts. The school is my home and…"

"No.", he said and stood to leave. "You are under my care now and I want you to study in Beauxbatons and not in Hogwarts. Professor Dippet understands me to the fullest. So get ready. There is not much time until we have to leave." With these words he left her rooms and Minerva with her thoughts alone. She knew instantly that they were final and all her dreams and hopes shaddered.

Reviews? Has anyone a clue which sentence may be important? I hope for your opinions.


	14. Help yourself

His Daughter

Author: Leta McGotor

Disclaimer: I own nothing but some characters like Nostradamus Crehl and the McDrake family including Richard McGonagall. The other belongs to JKR.

**I'm really, really, really sorry for the long gap but when I had written the chapter someone thought he would do something "nice". Means, I had no Internet for nearly two weaks and therefore had no chance at all to review something or to update. Because I couldn't send this chapter to my beta, it is not beta read, either. I hope you can forgive me.**

**Skichik**: Yeah, you got it. Sorry for my wording. Often I don't even know that it is that confusing. Thank you for reading and reviewing nevertheless.

**DamesFan:** Minerva würde laut Film wenn überhaupt, dann wohl eher nach Durmstrang passen, glaube ich. Ich fand die hatten einen tollen Auftritt. Der „Schlüsselsatz" spielt hier noch einmal ein Rolle, also keine Panik.

**SherbetKitty:** Minerva doesn't even think of going willingly to Beauxbatons, she has her own plans. Thanks for your review.

**Amy**: Yep, exactly that part matters and although Albus didn't know it then, he knows it now in this chapter. Please read it and thank you for your review.

**Kiwi.307**: Yeah, it's awful for Albus to be in prison, especially that prison. Thank you for your review.

Chapter 14 Help yourself

It was a long journey for her and the wheather was not better than her mood. Minerva McGongall sat in a train opposite from her grumpy looking uncle and it stormed and rained outside. She didn't want to change her school. She had liked to be in Hogwarts, not to say that she was enormously proud to study there. But now from one day to the other all what she had were the memories in her head. She knew for sure that she wasn't allowed to see her father (or how the most people believed: her former head of house). Every time she looked out of the window she saw the raindrops forming his face with a big grin plastered on it. She wondered how he looked right at that moment. Was he cold, in pain or was he very frightened? She didn't know but she had read so much about Azkaban that alone the sound of the name let shivers run down her spine.

So her thoughts were with her father and with her school and with all she left behind and that was a great deal of things. When she had entered the train this morning her uncle had told her that she wasn't going back to Scotland again until she had finished her time at school completely. That meant she had to stay at the school even in her holidays and that made her even more sad. She loved Scotland with all its features. Scotland was her home and she didn't want to leave it as well as she didn't want to leave Hogwarts and, most importantly, her father. It seemed as if he was miles and miles away and that she never would get the chance to see him again. She felt like a bird cought in a cage, that had to see the own home vanishing.

* * *

Miles and miles away a lonely figure made its way through the cold and deserted corridors of Azkaban. This man went so fast that you could think he was running. Of course he didn't because running was forbidden. But the man hated this place, he hated not only the prison itself but all what had to do with it, to begin with the name. And now? He was here because he wanted to be here, isn't life a stange thing? Not that he visited the prison only because he was bored, no, his aim was a little cell in the west part of Azkaban, where he would find a friend of him, hopefully not too weak to give him a hint how he could help.

Nostradamus Crehl stopped in front of a heavy door, that looked exactly the same as all the others he had passed. Oh, how he hated this place. Slowly the door opened without any help from others and Professor Crehl drew a last breath before he stepped into the dark room. It was not lit by any light, nor was there anything that could bring warmth into those wet walls. He shuddered. Never had he seen something that undiscribable. That was no place for people to live. Even rats had more comfort. Slowly Professor Crehl looked around. There was a man he haedn't seen before in the corner, fast asleep and there his friend sat on the floor and looked at him as if he wouldn't recognice who he was. Professor Crehl noticed the shabby and and worn-out clothes but couldn't see the rest of his friend clearly enough to say something more concrete.

"Albus?" Nostradamus Crehl asked quietly.

"Nostradamus? I hadn't… I didn't expect you to…"

"Sshhh… I haven't much time. Albus, I must know what happened. I know you are innocent but what happened that night. I can't help you…"

"I don't know… I don't know. Someone murdered Richard McGongall and the only thing I know is, that it wasn't me. Nostradamus, they showed me his body. It was awful. They didn't use the Avada Kedavra… they have tortured him to death. I can't imagine who could do something like that." He shuddered.

"Albus, don't you have a clue who…"

"No, I don't know."

"Who what?", asked the sleepy voice of the man in the far corner "Who has done what?"

"It's nothing of your business.", snapped Professor Crehl. But the man ignored him.

"Another of those men who wander around and kill people because there is someone who prefers clean hands? Another of those murderers who torture people to death without any mercy? Those who have killed my Elenora? Another one of them?" He said and became redder and redder in the face, although nobody saw it because it was too dark in the cell.

"What are you talking about, man?" Professor Crehl sapped at him. He hadn't understood anything he was saying and when the man didn't answer he turned grumpily to Albus.

"Nostradamus, that's it, that's it." Albus said and jumped to his feet. "He is right, how could we have been that stupid?" Nostradamus Crehl who understood nothing looked worried at his friend and partner.

"Albus, I know Azkaban is hart, very hart indeed, but…"

"No, Nostradamus. Who, besides myself, wanted to see this man dead? Who? And who didn't want to do it on his own because he is far too noble for such things? Who? Think, Nostradamus, think. Oh, how could we have been that blind?"

"Who do you mean? I see nobody who… You do not mean , no, you are not talking about… Albus, that is impossible. That man is far too intelligent and far too powerful to pay for a so obvious murder. He would have done it in another way."

"How do you know? Duncan McDrake was always someone the most people couldn't understand. Nostradamus, you have to go to the hospital. Minerva is…"

"…not there anymore. She has left the hospital not a whole day ago. She is on her way to Beauxbatons, her new school, because her uncle didn't think it apropriate for her to go to Hogwarts any longer. She must reach the school in the next two or three hours and her uncle is with her. There was nobody who would stop him."

"Then you must stop him. I can't but I trust you. You must stop him and bring Minerva back to Hogwarts where she belongs – besides, she is allright, isn't she? I hadn't the chance to see her that day. Oh, how I wish I could…"

"Albus, she is fine, weak maybe, but fine. She will make it. She is your daughter, don't forget that."

* * *

It was late when Nostradamus Crehl reached his rooms to get a few hours of sleep. After he had left Azkaban he had spoken to a few "friends" who owed him a favour. They were looking for that mysterious man who might have murdered Richard McGonagall. If all worked how he had planned Albus would be out of prison and reunited with his daughter at the end of the week. But until then there was a lot of work to do and he needed his sleep to do it properly. When Nostradamus Crehl opened his door he noticed that there was someone in his room. Headmster Dippet looked at him curiously awaiting him.

"Oh, Headmaster. I didn' expect you here, I hope you haven't waited that long."

"Nostradamus, where is she?" Dippet said without taking his eyes from the professor.

"She? I don't know who you are talking about."

"They say she is Albus' daughter, his daughter… I can't believe… but not now. Where is she, Nostradamus, where is Minerva McGongall?"

"I don't know. Beauxbatons maybe? Her uncle wanted her to go to this school instead of Hogwarts. Have you forgotten?" Professor Crehl answered frostily. He had argued with the the headmaster over this point but he had refused to do something against the plans of Duncan McDrake. The man was far too powerful.

"No, but she never arrived at the school. She escaped her uncle and since then she is not to be found, lost without a trace. So where is she? She is Albus' daughter. Is she going to Azkaban to help him? That would be her death." Dippet said and the colour of his face switched from red to white and back to red within seconds.

"I don't know where she is, I don't know." Professor Crehl shook his head. It would be too easy if all had worked how he had planned it, really far to easy.

Reviews?


	15. Hunting

His Daughter

Author: Leta McGotor

Disclaimer: I own nothing but some characters like Nostradamus Crehl and the McDrake family including Richard McGonagall. The other belongs to JKR.

**Harrypotterisawful:** Why, when you detest all what has to do with the story around Harry Potter, do you read these fanfictions? And why, when you read them although your opinion is "J.K. Rowling's characters are poorly developed, the plots are full of annoying angst, the villains are cliché, and the writing style is childish.", do you think such a comment would be any helpful? I, like you can see, write fanfictions with some of the characters and I do it, because I like them. Surely there are books, which are better than the Harry Potter series, I don't deny that. But everybody is allowed to have his own opinion and so you can do and think what you want but please don't write such things in reviews, wich are meant to help the author to improve his own story.

**DamesFan:** Gerade weil Minerva noch nicht wieder ganz fit ist, muss man sich Sorgen machen, zumal man nicht vergessen darf, dass es immer noch Winter ist und demzufolge ziemlich kalt. Aber da ist schließlich immer noch Professor Crehl mit seinen Leuten, die nun auch nach ihr suchen. Danke, dass du dich wieder gemeldet hast, bis zum nächsten Mal.

**Skichik:** Well, „hart" is something like the German word for „hard". Seems as if I have switched something, sorry. Thank you for your hint and for your review.

**Midnight.dreamz:** My problem is only that there are more mistakes than now, if I don't let it beta read. Because my beta and I are both German, there are always mistakes in it. But nevertheless, thank you for your review.

**SherbetKitty:** You want to know a lot of things, don't you think so? Albus will be released when they have the real murderer. Who the real murderer is, is not that important but the one who gave the order and I believe you know for sure who that is, right? Minerva is wandering around everywhere to reach her aim, with her strenght not really recovered, yet, a bit of a problem. Thank you for your questions… I mean your review.

**A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU**

Chapter 15 Hunting

It was cold, definitely cold. The wind was cold, the air, the snow – to make it short – all. Minerva had known that, when she had started her way back to Hogwarts, back to her home. She had waited for hours that her uncle wasn't looking and when the chance had come she had grabbed it with both hands. She wanted to go home, her real home.

Now the station lay five miles behind her, not visible anymore. In fact, you couldn't see anything at all, because it was late and dark. The night had come far too soon. But Minerva made her way nevertheless through the snow, through the icy wind, determined not to surrender. Somewhere there must be a house, another station, where she could stand at a warm fire, if only for five minutes.

Some may say, why didn't she use her wand? She is a witch. But that was Minerva's other problem – her wand. She had it in her cloak but she didn't use it. Why? Her uncle had spoken a few spells before they had started their journey to prevent that she ran away. He didn't know that he plastered with those spells a firm idea in Minerva's head. She did run away and he could have done nothing, if he had seen her. She wanted to show him, to show everybody that she was able to go her own ways, with her magic or without it. It only was a long way.

* * *

"I have my people everywhere to look for her, but it is nearly impossible. She could be everywhere, she could be in this castle at the moment without us knowing. It is impossible to find her." 

"But we must. She is Albus' daughter and he was always a good friend and adviser to me. I can't let his daughter die somewhere… in the middle of nothingness. I owe him to much and besides that all she was my student and I'm resposible for her."

"First you bring those men from the ministry into this school and then you are talking of owing Albus something? I don't believe that this matter is yours. So go back to your own work and let me alone to do mine."

"But Nostradamus, I only wanted to help… I didn't know what had happened. They told me Albus was a murderer. What should I have done?"

"Telling them, that it's impossible, that Albus isn't a murderer. But you was not brave enough to do so. Does your friendship with Albus mean so little to you? All what counts are your own things and your own life not the that from others. How dare you to even come down here and talk in that way about Albus and Minerva? " He only shook his head and took some letters he had received a few minutes ago from his desk. He payed no attention to the speechless headmaster, who slowly left the room in a quiet, guilty way. The letters were far more important.

* * *

There was a house. She could see it. That dark something had to be a house. Maybe she could warm herself up in it. Surely there lived people who would help her. 

Minerva was cold. It was the deepest of night and around her there was nothing more than darkness and darkness. She could barely see her feet but nevertheless she went on, she had to. Minerva was tired. Her feet had become heavier over the time and it seemed as if the ground would reach for her, trying to pull her down in its own world. It was hard to set one foot in front of the next and to go on and on and on. For hours she was going and stumbling and for hours she had met no one. Was this part of the country realy deserted? The house that stood now in front of her looked so welcome, although there was no light, and it was her last hope. She knew she couldn't go on like that. She was cold, tired and her feet and her legs and her whole body ached.

Finally she reached the door and knocked a few times. But while she waited for a response her legs gave way and she sank to the ground, no strenght was left in her. After a few icy minutes she knocked again, but still there was no reaction. Little did she know that nobody had lived in that house for years.The owner had died many years ago. Minerva closed her eyes, too tired to stay awake. Oh, how she longed for a warm embrace.

It was in that moment when another figure made its way through the harsh and icy wind towards the house. The man dressed in only black knew that nobody lifed there but he hoped to find one special girl near it. He hadn't understood all what an old friend of him, Nostradamus Crehl, had told him but he knew that he was looking for the daughter of another man, who had escaped someone. He was ordered to bring her to Professor Crehl, untouched. It seemed important enough to him to pay good money for the girl and the man, that now went through the snow, wanted it very desperately.

He had asked in nearly every village if they had seen the girl and had showed a picture but all people had only shook their heads, nobody had seen her. So he assumed that she had taken a way around the villages, why was beyond his understanding. Why would somebody go the hard way instead of the easy one, espeacially at this weather. One or two times he had seen another man asking for a girl but it didn't come to his mind that this noble looking man might ask for the same young woman.

When the man, by all others called Avey, reached the house, all seemed left and broken and untouched. He was sure no one had been near it for one year or even several years at least. He wanted to turn around and go on when he saw a footprint in some of the mud. He held his wand at it and was sure that was a fresh one and, compared with his feet, a little one. Where was the girl? Had she managed to go into the house? Had she gone on because her tries were all in vain? Why didn't he find her when he first went around the house?

Avey turned back to the house and went around it again. Only when he reached the dark old front door he saw a little figure lying on the ground. He hurried to her but Minerva was too fast asleep to hear him and to wake up. The man kneeled beside Minerva and turned her around. Comparing her face with the picture he had, a smile made its way into his face. That was the girl. He had found her and would get the money, that was promised. But why didn't she show any reaction? He shrugged. It was not his problem, he hadn't touched her. He took Minerva in his arms and apparated back to Hogsmead, he needed that money very desperately.


	16. Evidence

His Daughter

Author: Leta McGotor

Disclaimer: I own nothing but some characters like Nostradamus Crehl and the McDrake family including Richard McGonagall. The other belongs to JKR.

Because of Christmas and all around it I needed my time to write this chapter. Therefore Artemis Sprape hasn't beta read it, either, because you would have to wait even longer and I'm afraid you would be angry with me. So, here is the next chapter.

**Baby.cee**: Can you tell what you mean with: omgoshh ? I have really no idea what that could mean. Maybe you can help me. Thank you for your review.

**SherbetKitty:** Did I write that I think you annoying? No, of course not. I like your reviews very much, especially because they are longer than four words. I don't want that you change anything. Please, keep up the way of your reviews. Thank you for your latest one.

**DamesFan:** Kennst du das Sprichwort: Unkraut vergeht nicht? Bevor jemand mit einem Willen wie Minerva oder Albus aufgibt, geht die Welt unter, das ist ein Versprechen! Und du warst im weihnachtlichen und im Silvester-Stress? Ich könnte dich glatt bemitleiden. Ich wünsche dir jedenfalls auch ein frohes und gesundes und schönes und tolles und - alles was mir jetzt nicht einfällt - Jahr. Bis dann.

Chapter 16 Evidence

"How is she?", asked a voice not very far away from the place she was. Although she wanted to know who the owner of that voice was, Minerva held her eyes closely shut. It was nearly peaceful to ly there – where ever it was – and listen to the quiet voices and to the steps of some people. She didn't know where she was or how she had arrived at this place. The last thing she remembered was, that she had seen an old house in the middle of nowhere. But that was all. What had happened afterwards?

Slowly Minerva opened her eyes. She was in a big room with many windows at the opposite wall. They reached from the ceiling nearly to the ground and they let fascinating streams of sunlight into the room. She looked around. On the left and on the right side of her bed there were many others, only one of them was occupied by a small boy, who was very green in the face. Minerva smiled. She knew this place. She had often been here, mostly because of Quidditch. It was the Hospital Wing of Hogwarts. That meant she was back, back at home.

Minerva sighed. It was a wonderful thought to be back again and when she now looked around again she saw Professor Crehl standing together with the medi-witch to discuss something. She wondered when she saw the worry in their faces and fom one second to the other a picture of her father appeared in front of her eyes. How could she have forgotten him, even when it only was for two minutes?

Hastily she sat up in bed. She had to go and see him and she had to find a way how to get him out of prison. After all he was innocent, wasn't he? Quickly Minerva pushed the covers of her bed and the slight feeling of dizzyness aside but in the moment she wanted to jump out of it, a hand lay itself on her shoulder.

"You don't want to do that.", said a quiet voice in her ear so that her hair stood up in her neck, Slowly she turned around in looked in the face of Nostradamus Crehl.

"I… I…", she studdered before she took herself together and answered with a steady voice: "I want to go out. I want to see and help him. He needs help or he will never get out of that again. He isn't a murderer. He would never do something like that…"

"I know, I know. But you can't jump to your feet and run to where ever you wanted to without thinking things over and that all in your state of health. Our medi-witch would kill me if I allowed…"

"I'm fine and we won't have the time to sit around and do nothing. In the meantime he is not only in a normal prison but in Azkaban with all the Dement…"

"No, not any longer. They have brought him into the prison cells of the ministry. His trial starts in mere seconds. Of course we have not the time for a complicated plan but we can't disturb it all without any evidence for his innocence."

"But we must help him. There has to be something we can do. He will never come out of Azkaban again."

"I wait for certain information. We believe that not your father has murdered Richard McGongall but your uncle Duncan McDrake."

"You go from one part of my family to the other? How dare you to even think that he can do it. I know that my father is innocent but my uncle isn't a murderer, either."

"We are sure and he is the only one who is able to do it that way. He hasn't done it with his own hands. He has his people who do the dirty work for him. Can't you imagine that he would do it?"

"No, he always hated a scandal and that…" She stopped and looked up at Professor Crehl. Slowly she continued: "He, Richard McGonagall, was a scandal for our family. If somebody found out how he treated my mother, my uncle could never be his old self. His partners would sneer at him and he wouldn't be able to do any business. But when he is dead there is no other than me, who could talk and he knows that I would never speak about it all in public. I would be too embarressed if someone forced me."

"Right. With him out of the way there is only your father left. But to murder him is more difficult and to let him vegetate in Azkaban is the perfect revenge for a man like your uncle is."

"He never liked me." Minerva started very, very slowlyn with a hint of hatred in her voice. "The only things that counted for him were my marks and my appearance in public. I should honour my family, all other never mattered to him." She paused and looked to the floor before she continued now a bit quieter than before. "My parents loved each other but his only problem was that my father had not the descent my mother had. That's why he forbade their marriage. It didn't matter to him what a character Richard McGonagall had, only that his ancestors were powerful and rich and well known." Professor Crehl sighed. He had heard of those things during his research for the needed evidence. He was the opinion that a girl as young as her - and even if she was twice her age – should never know such things. It depressed him that he couldn't prevent it.

In that second a man entered the Hospital Wing. His clothes were old and worn out. In his old hat were several holes and all together was extremely dirty, even the man himself. His face was flushed as if he had run the whole way from Hogsmead to the Hospital Wing, which could really be possible. Trying to calm his breathing he gave Professor Crehl a dirty letter before he let himself fall on one of the beds. The nurse looked with her nose turned up at the man before she vanished in her office. Minerva would have felt sorry for her, that she had to clean it all again, but in the moment she was more interested in the letter Nostradamus Crehl was reading hastily. After a few moments, when seemingly all stared at him and the letter, a small smile crept on his face and when he had finished the normally calm (and icy) Professor Crehl jumped into the air and kissed the other man on the cheek, before he realised what he had done and disgusted retreated.

"That is what we needed. We can prove that your father is indeed innocent when we only…" He looked at his watch and went pale. "Oh my… come we have no time or he will never get out again." Minerva only seized her clothes, jumped into her trousers and run behind the professor. Hopefully they would be in time.

**Reviews? Questions? Other things? – Be brave and write.**


	17. Revealing in Public

His Daughter

Author: Leta McGotor

Disclaimer: I own nothing but some characters like Nostradamus Crehl and the McDrake family including Richard McGonagall. The other belongs to JKR.

**DamesFan:** "Verkorkste Kindheit" – na ja, sowas in der Art. Ist eigentlich ein Wunder, dass sie keine schlimmen Psychosen (oder so ähnlich) hat. Deshalb braucht sie ja Albus so dringend. Danke für dein Review, bis dann.

**Baby.cee:** I'm really trying to update soon. But every time I have updated I don't want to write anything and so it happens very often that I write a chapter and update at the same day. Thank you for your review.

**SherbetKitty:** Yep, they were good ones, although my parents argued over Christmas. But now that is over, forgotten and no one speaks a word about it. It's fantastic that you like the chapters, thank you for your review.

**Becca:** Thank you for reviewing

Chapter 17 Revealing in public

It was a long corridor, too long in her opinion. Why had people such long corridors? Even the ones in Hogwarts were shorter. And then the stairs. Down and down and down. At every bottom there was a new corridor or staircase and it all seemed endless. Minerva didn't know where she should go and so she always stayed near Professor Crehl, who was also running down the corridors and stairs, although she was faster that he. From time to time she felt weak and had to lean against a wall. Her health and strenght hadn't returned completely yet, but now was not the time to rest, now was the time to do something and quick.

Again and again they ran down some steps, turned around a corner until finally they arrived in front of an old oaken doubledoor. Without waiting or knocking Minerva opened it and entered a huge hall. Hundreds of heads turned in her direction and no one was a friendly one. Some of them even shook their heads in disgust or looked angry. A child, especially a girl should not go to trial like this one. Wasn't she educated?

But that all didn't matter to Minerva. She hold her head high and stepped down until she reached the bottom of the stairs. There she stood in front of an old man with a grey beard and a big red nose. With his wide open eyes he looked sceptically at her with an unspoken question written all over his face. Next to him sat another man. He was tall, pale and looked all but friendly. In his eyes Minerva was only someone, who wants to disturb this trial without having a reason, not that anyone would have a reason to disturb such an important trial. A bit on, on a stool with chains all over there sat no other than Albus Dumbledore. He looked stressed, worn out, but lovingly and with interest in her direction. He was glad, that she was alright. He hadn't seen her since the hospital and there she hadn't been awake yet. But he also looked worried at her, because he didn't know what she would do next.

Carefull Minerva cleared her throat, knowing that Professor Crehl was behind her to help if she should need him.

"You must stop this trial. Albus Dumbledore is innocent. We have the evidence that show that no other than Duncan McDrake should sit there, but not he.", she said. Her words were to hear in the whole hall and all the people had become silent.

"And your name?", sat the tall man and looked through some of his papers.

"Minerva McGongall."

"The daughter of the victim?", asked the man with the red nose and his eyes became even wider.

"No. I'm the daughter of his wife but not of him. He is my father." Minerva answered and pointed in Albus' direction.

"You were very ill, right? Come to your senses, girl. This man _was_ your teacher, nothing more and now he is the murderer of your father. Can anybody bring that girl out of here and into the caring hands of St. Mungo's ?"

"I'm perfectly earnest. Richard McGongall was never my father. And I won't go until you have seen the evidence and say that my real father is innocent."

"That's right. Everybody has the chance to prove his or her innocence. It happens that we have found the real murderer and before he goes to Azkaban he wishes to reveal some other facts about the man who ordered him to murder Richard McGongall." Professor Crehl said and looked seriously at the two men in front of him.

"You had your time before this trial started.", said a voice form the mass of the spectators. When Minerva turned around, she saw no other than Duncn McDrake standing in the middle of the court room looking dangerously desperate at the men, who were able to decide about the destiny of Albus Dumbledore.

"That's right:", started the tall man but the other stopped him.

"But we can't sent an innocent to Azkaban. You are allowed to show your evidence and than we will see."

"I'll go and catch him.", answered Professor Crehl with a nod in Albus' direction and than vanished out of the court room. Minerva stayed where she was.

"And where is the evidence that this man Professor Crehl and my niece spoke about is not a liar? He could say everything and we don't know whether it is the truth or not.",interfered Duncan McDrake again. "We don't know how much they pay him."

"We are not you, uncle." Minerva shot back at him. "And maybe I have other things than only this man. Can you imagine what will happen if _I_ tell the _whole_ story about Richard McGonagall, about my family and how _you_ thought about it all?" Duncan McDrake only laughed.

"Come to your senses, Minerva. You must learn that your parents are dead, but don't be frightened, I will help you.", he answered, as if Minerva did this all because her parents had died and she got not enough attention. That fact made her very angry and so she shot back at him.

"So do you think. But I'm not going back to you. You are the murderer of the husband of my mother. You are the one who wants to see my father in Azkaban. You are the one, who is to blame for death of my mother and for her unworthy life while her marriage." Suddenly Minerva turned around and pulled her shirt over her head. Some bandages followed it to the floor before she stood there with her naked back for all to see. The mass of spectators gasped.

"Do you see my back? Do you see all the scars? They remind me every day on my life in that family. They remind me of all the things Richard McGonagall did to my mother and to me. You knew the whole time that he tortured us with curses, blows and sometimes he gave us some poison to see its effects on the human body. You knew it the whole time. And then my mother died and my real father learned that he had a daughter and that was dangerous for you and your fine reputation. You never liked Richard McGongall but you never did something against him. But couldn't let it happen that this is known in public. And so you ordered someone to murder him and it was you, who blamed my father, it was you because he would fight against your opinions and he would do something against you at all. You are no better than Richard McGongall was."

Minerva screamed that all. Forgotten where the people around her, forgotten was the hall full of spectators, forgotten was the court. It simply didn't matter to her, Albus Dumbledore – her father – was all she had left and she would fight to keep him, she would't let him go. Now she panted. She was weak, had no strenght left in her after her speech. Her whole body aced and little red points danced in front of her eyes, but she remained standing there, proud that she had managed to speak about it, proud that she had done something to help her father, to prove his innocence. Tears poured down her cheeks, but she wasn't ashamed of them. For the first time in her life she wasn't ashamed of something as weak as tears. She was proud of them.

The court room was silent. No one spoke and it seemed that most of the people hold there breath. Duncan McDrake only stood there nd looked at Minerva before he shook his head with a small smile on his face.

"You are like your mother. She was as stubborn and proud as you are. Nothing could break her, I thought. But then she married Richard McGongall and I learned that even she was weak. Weak people are useless people and so was she and I knew so were you."

"Yes, so she is and she can be proud that she is like her mother and not like you or Richard McGongall. Minerva is indeed a human being, filled with passion, with life, love, curiosity and with weakness. She belongs to the little group of human beings who will fight for all this things and she can be proud of it." Albus Dumbledore said into the silence.

"You are a lunatic, too, you fool." Then he went up the stairs but some of the aurors stopped him.

"I think there are a few points we have to discuss, Mr McDrake.", said the man with the red nose. The other nodded and looked again through his papers. "So you gave the order to…"

**Reviews? Questions? Thoughts? Other things? – Be brave and write.**

**So, now there is only one chapter left, I believe, so please, don't let me fall and read and review this one and the next one. There is only this one left.**


	18. Some changes in life

His Daughter

Author: Leta McGotor

Disclaimer: I own nothing but some characters like Nostradamus Crehl and the McDrake family including Richard McGonagall. The other belongs to JKR. This whole thing below was beta read by **Artemis Sprape.** I hope you enjoy reading.

**DamesFan.** Im Moment arbeite ich an "Heartbroken Christmas" (wie du womöglich weißt) und ich wollte die erst beenden, bevor ich etwas Neues anfange. Wie ich mich kenne, halte ich das aber womöglich nicht aus und fange schon vorher wieder an. Die nächste AD/MM heißt höchst wahrscheinlich „Many Long Years". Ich hoffe dann höre ich wieder von dir. Bis dann.

**SherbetKitty:** I really enjoy reading reviews and so I'll not stopp writing, of course. But here it is indeed the last chapter. Thank you for your review.

**Baby.cee:** Some tell me my cliffhangers are aweful, others admire them. I don't know what I'll do, it's really difficult. But I'm glad you liked it, thank you for reviewing.

**Becca:** Thank you for your compliment and your review.

**- Thanks to all of them who have read and reviewed this story -**

Chapter 18 Some changes in life

Minerva sat relaxed on her favourite place, the windowsill. She loved sitting there. Every time she needed comfort or she was angry and stressed she looked for a windowsill to sit on and look out of the window. That calmed her. She had started this habit when she first had come to Hogwarts. As a little child she had believed her mother was nearer this way and that she could hear her when she sat there quietly and listened to the wind.

Now Minerva sat again on a windowsill, but not like always on the one right next to her bed but on the one she had learned to love over the last years. It was the one in the office of her father. She wondered why he wanted to speak her, his letter sounded very urgend and so she had hurried the way from London to Hogwarts. What was so important that it couldn't wait until the weekend when she would meet him anyway?

Minerva sighed and looked out of the window. The snow had fallen and the sky turned dark already, although it was only afternoon. A few students were outside and had a snowball fight and a few others even trained for Quidditch. She smiled. It was years and years agao that she herself had been one of those lunatics who trained even in the deepest snow storms. But that was past. Now she was a grown up woman, had a fine job in the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry of Magic and every weekend she met with her father to have dinner and play a game of chess or something like that. She enjoyed her life, made long journeys over the summer break and did a lot of research on the topics of Transfiguration and the ones she had to deal with while her work.

It became even more darker outside while she was watching the students and not long after that they returned into the warmth of the castle. Minerva shrugged and looked at her watch. She wondered what it could be, why she should come immediately to Hogwarts and then sit here and wait for hours. Finally she heard footsteps outside in the corridor and then somebody opened the door. This someone was no other than Albus Dumbledore himself, who was red in the face because he had run down several corridors and stairs to reach the office. First he looked confused around but then he spotted Minerva sitting on the windowsill.

"Ah Minerva, good that you could come.", he stated and went to hug her.

"Of course I came, but what's the matter? Did something happen?"

"Yes", he answered and sat down behind his desk. Minerva stayed at the window. "Probably you have read that Professor Dippet was very ill in the last time. They wrote it in all papers."

"Of course. Some even bet that he wouldn't make it into the next year."

"He died a few hours ago."

"What? Was it really so bad with him? I thought that he…" She looked helplessy at her father. Professor Dippet had been her headmaster and although he often seemed weak willed, he had been caring and fair, mostly. "And… and now? What happens now?"

"He will be buried tomorrow evening, as soon as possible and then… then I will become headmaster." Albus sighed

"You?"

"Yes. I am… I was the deputy headmaster. There are only a few things I have to sign but then I'm headmaster." He shrugged and stared into nothingness.

"Oh, Dad. That's… that's … What will you do now?"

"We have the Christmas holidays but then I need a new teacher for Transfiguration."

"It's nearly impossible to find someone in that short time. Writing it all in the Daily Prophet, then waiting and looking for someone suitable in one week. Absolutely impossible."

"I know but I also know someone who is perfect for the job."

"Who is he?"

"It's a she and she has studied Transfiguration, she was the best of her year. She can handle with the students, she is strong willed, fair, wonderful… I couldn't find someone better than her."

"Then ask her. She can't do more than saying no, can she?"

"But when she says no, what can I do then?"

"Convince her. Promise her something, ask her what she wants. But really, who would turn a chance like that one down? No one in the right mind would do so and when she knows of her abilities she won't say something other than yes."

"Right or she will bide my head up. Nevertheless, you will do the job?"

"I… what? You are joking. You can't mean… no, never."

"But you said…"

"I know what I said but I thought you mean someone other. I can't do the job. I would only make a fool out of myself in front of a class. I can't teach."

"You can."

"No, I can't."

"You can and you will. I told the Ministry that you would do the job and they accepted it. I can't go to them and say: 'No, it was only a joke.'" He looked at her hopefully.

"But I can't. I don't know what to tell them, I CAN'T TEACH!"

"You can, that's my last word. Do it for me, please." He looked at her with his eyes as wide as saucers and pleaded.

"No. I can't and I don't want to teach. I… don't look at me like that…"

"Please."

"You are more than a child like a headmaster. I'll do the job, but only to prevent you to make a complete fool out of yourself."

"Mia, you're the best."

"Stop that, you little child." She answered before hugging him with a slight smile, hoping that the idea of helping him wouldn't turn into a disaster.

* * *

"Have you heard about it, Minerva? Is it really true?"

"What are you talking about, Poppy?"

"The Potter's. I have heard You-know-who has… has… murdered them and only their little son is still alive. That can't be true, can it?"

"I don't know, but let me go now."

"Where are you going?"

"Little Whinging, Privet Drive or something like that."

"And there?"

"There I talk with Albus. I must know whether the rumours are true. They say _He_ is dead, _He_ couldn't kill the little boy." She shook her head in disbelieve. "Excuse me." Then she vanished and made her way to Privet Drive to speak with her father and to see where little Harry Potter is going to live in the next years.

So, that was the last chapter of my story. If you want to know how this goes on, I recommend the books written by J.K.R., really. I hope, although this is the last chapter, you tell me nevertheless, what you think about it, you can also ask something. I promise I'll answer it on one way or the other.


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